There is provided a chirped diffractive element (20) in the form of a grating (22) configured for supporting a plurality of guided mode resonances (54), which resonances (54) may be considered to comprise a standing wave. Chirping the grating (22) may allow guided mode resonances (54) to be distinguishable in terms of position within a section (34) the grating (22). An incident electromagnetic field may be coupled into at least one of the sections (34) when the electromagnetic field has a wavelength value within a predetermined wavelength range and a sample has a refractive index value within a predetermined index range. The incident electromagnetic field may be reflected by at least one of the sections (34) of the grating (22) exhibiting a guided mode resonance (54). The reflected electromagnetic field from the section (34) can then be detected by directly imaging the grating (22), thereby revealing the position of the exhibited guided mode resonance (54) in the grating (22), and thereby inferring the refractive index value of the sample.

An apparatus configured to detect a substance, and method of operating and forming the same. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a tunable resonator including an upper Bragg reflector and a lower Bragg reflector separated by a porous matrix. The tunable resonator is configured to be illuminated by a light source and produce a first spectral optical response from a substance absorbed within the porous matrix. The apparatus also includes a detector positioned proximate the tunable resonator configured to provide a first absorption signal representing the first spectral optical response.

Embodiments of the present invention include a cuvette (100) for use in determining a refractive index of a sample matter in a spectrophotometer (600), the cuvette comprising a container (102) for holding the sample matter, the container (102) having an entry window (121) that allows input radiation to reach the sample matter, the container furthermore having an exit window (122) that allows a part of the input radiation to exit the container part, the entry window and the exit window defining a radiation path; and comprising a photonic crystal (101) rigidly attached to the container or integrally formed in the container and arranged in the radiation path, the photonic crystal having a grating part (111) causing a reflectance spectrum of the photonic crystal to exhibit a resonance. A spectrophotometer is also provided.

A biological signal analyzing device configured to generate a first detection image or a second detection image is provided. The biological signal analyzing device includes a light-incident surface, a light-emitting surface and a plurality of optical-resonance structures. The sample is placed near the light incident surface, and receives a first light through the sample. The light resonance structures are configured to process the first light and generate a second and third light. The second light emits from the light emitting surface, and adapted to form the first detection image corresponding to the sample, and the third light emits from the light incident surface, and adapted to form the second detection image corresponding to the sample. The optical resonance structures vary their thickness along the first direction or vary the width along the second direction. A biological sensing apparatus, a sensing method and a fabrication method are also provided.

The present invention provides a biosensor and an application of the same. The biosensor includes a substrate, a first polymer layer and a second polymer layer. The first polymer layer includes composite antibodies, each of which includes a first antibody and a labelling molecule. The second polymer layer has an inverse opal photonic crystal structure where gold nanoparticles and second antibodies are distributed. At least one of the composite antibodies, an antigen and at least one of the second antibodies forms a complex in the second polymer layer, and an antigen concentration is obtained by a fluorescence intensity, a degree of red-shift or a change in a visual color of the biosensor.

A chemical sensor, including a porous optical waveguide. The loss or index of refraction, or both, of the porous waveguide is affected by the presence of one or more chemicals of interest.

Integrated target waveguide devices and optical analytical systems comprising such devices are provided. The target devices include an optical coupler that is optically coupled to an integrated waveguide and that is configured to receive optical input from an optical source through free space, particularly through a low numerical aperture interface. The devices and systems are useful in the analysis of highly multiplexed optical reactions in large numbers at high densities, including biochemical reactions, such as nucleic acid sequencing reactions. The devices provide for the efficient and reliable coupling of optical excitation energy from an optical source to the optical reactions. Optical signals emitted from the reactions can thus be measured with high sensitivity and discrimination. The devices and systems are well suited for miniaturization and high throughput.

An optical sensor device includes an optical waveguide portion having a core, the core having a first refractive index, and a functional material layer coupled to the optical fiber portion, the functional material layer being made of a metal oxide material, the functional material layer being structured to have a second refractive index, the second refractive index being less than the first refractive index. The functional material layer may be a nanostructure material comprising the metal oxide material with a plurality of holes or voids formed therein such that the functional material layer is caused to have the second refractive index.

A sensor architecture that uses fixed wavelength light and tunes a wavelength dependent response of a sensor may be used for detecting analytes in a wide range of applications. The sensor architecture is based on optical resonators or interferometers comprising optical waveguides. A resonance wavelength and/or transmission/reflection spectrum are affected by presence of an analyte adsorbed on a surface of the waveguide, and a setting of a phase modulator. The sensors include a sensor portion where part of the waveguide is exposed to a sample for sensing, and a phase modulator part. The phase modulator part may include a heater that is controlled to tune, or sweep, or modulate the resonant wavelength and/or spectrum of the sensor.

A colorimetric sensor for detecting an analyte of interest in a fluid sample includes a photonic structure integrated with a receptor, wherein the photonic structure may be configured such that, when an analyte contacts the receptor within the photonic structure, a refractive property of the photonic structure changes thereby to cause a detectable color change in the photonic structure. The photonic structure may comprise an optical absorber indicator, wherein the receptor may be associated with the optical absorber indicator, such that, when the analyte contacts the receptor, the analyte causes a color change of the optical absorber indicator via a photo-induced electron transfer mechanism. The optical absorber indicator may comprise the photo-induced electron transfer mechanism.