Reviewing advances in nanophotonic biosensors

Biosensing, a promising branch of exploiting nanophotonic devices, enables meticulous detection of subwavelength light, which helps to analyze and manipulate light-matter interaction. The improved sensitivity of recent high-quality nanophotonic biosensors has enabled enhanced bioanalytical precision in detection. Considering the potential of nanophotonics in biosensing, this article summarizes recent advances in fabricating nanophotonic and optical biosensors, focusing on their sensing function and capacity. We typically classify these types of biosensors into five categories: phase-driven, resonant dielectric nanostructures, plasmonic nanostructures, surface-enhanced spectroscopies, and evanescent-field, and review the importance of enhancing sensor performance and efficacy by addressing some major concerns in nanophotonic biosensing, such as overcoming the difficulties in controlling biological specimens and lowering their costs for ease of access. We also address the possibility of updating these technologies for immediate implementation and their impact on enhancing safety and health.