Inverse-designed plasmonic biosensors with LSPR-SPP-wood anomaly coupling enhanced for biomolecular analysis

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology and Materials Science
• Biophysics
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Molecular interaction analysis is vital for biological research and drug discovery.
• Existing analytical methods often lack sensitivity, accuracy, and simplicity.
• Metasurfaces offer potential for advanced sensing applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly sensitive and stable sensor for analyzing molecular interactions.
• To overcome limitations of traditional analytical techniques.
• To enable real-time, label-free detection of low molecular weight interactions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized inverse design for a multilayer metasurface plasmon resonance (IDMM-SPR) sensor.
• Employed a double-objective optimization combining numerical simulations and machine learning.
• Developed an optimized periodic nanocup array structure.

Main Results:

• Achieved an unprecedented figure of merit (FoM) of 26.3.
• Demonstrated a low detection limit (LOD) of 0.84 ng/mL for C-reactive protein (CRP).
• Harnessed collective resonances (localized SPR, Wood's anomalies, Bloch wave SPR) for enhanced sensing.

Conclusions:

• The IDMM-SPR sensor offers superior sensitivity and stability for biomolecular analysis.
• The sensor is compatible with standard microplate readers, enhancing practicality.
• Shows significant promise for high-throughput screening, drug development, and disease diagnosis.