Identification and quantitative detection of two pathogenic bacteria based on a terahertz metasensor

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Terahertz Spectroscopy
• Biosensing

Background:

• Bacterial infections are a major cause of disease, necessitating rapid and accurate pathogen identification for effective treatment.
• Current bacterial detection methods are often time-consuming, labor-intensive, and require extensive sample preparation.
• Early and precise diagnosis is critical for managing infections and preventing their spread.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a terahertz (THz) metasensor for rapid, non-destructive, and label-free identification of common pathogenic bacteria.
• To achieve highly sensitive quantitative detection of bacterial concentrations.
• To enhance light-matter interactions for improved sensor performance.

Main Methods:

• Design and fabrication of a THz metasensor utilizing the coupling of electrical and toroidal dipoles.
• Leveraging the reinforced toroidal dipole to boost light-matter interactions.
• Experimental testing for identification and quantification of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Main Results:

• The metasensor achieved a high sensitivity of 378 GHz/RIU and a Q factor of 21.28.
• Successfully identified Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
• Quantitatively detected bacterial concentrations down to approximately 10^4 CFU/mL.

Conclusions:

• The developed THz metasensor provides a rapid, sensitive, and label-free platform for pathogenic bacteria detection.
• This technology advances THz metasensing based on interference mechanisms for biosensing applications.
• The findings pave the way for improved diagnostic tools in clinical settings and infection control.