Rolled-up metal/dielectric hybrid structures as on-chip integrative resonator devices for multifunctional optical label-free detection

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Oliver G. Schmidt
• Subject Area: Microsystems ; Experimental Condensed Matter Physics ; Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: from 2016 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 299334439

Optical label-free sensing is a powerful analysis tool in biochemistry, and implementation of on-chip integrative optical label-free sensors will boost the sensing process for many applications. Recently, hybrid photonic-plasmonic structures have been investigated for optical label-free sensing with a better performance than that of pure photonic or plasmonic structures. Very recently, we investigated a dielectric/metal hybrid structure based on rolled-up nanotechnology. A new kind of photonic-plasmonic hybrid mode which couples the photonic and plasmonic components along the circumference of the rolled-up tubular structure is demonstrated. In this manner, optimization of photonic-plasmonic hybrid modes for high performance label-free sensors becomes possible by for instance varying the proportion of the metal layer in the tube wall. In addition, favoured by rolled-up nanotechnology, the on-chip monolithic integration of hybrid optical structures becomes well-feasible. Therefore, the main objective of the proposal is to further investigate and optimize photonic-plasmonic hybrid ring resonators based on rolled-up nanotechnology. It relies on understanding the mechanisms leading to the generation of the hybrid optical modes, which will be fully investigated at the beginning of the project. After that, a photonic-plasmonic hybrid resonator will be designed and optimized, and label-free sensing experiments will be performed. Based on our established methodology combining lab-on-a-chip fabrication and rolled-up nanotechnology, highly sensitive and on-chip integrative optofluidic label-free sensors will be realized by the end of this project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants