A robust sensor, suitable for dipping into fluid wells, includes (a) a stem; (b) a whispering gallery mode (“WGM”) resonator mechanically supported by the stem; and (c) feed and pickup optical fibers optically coupled with the WGM resonator and mechanically coupled with the stem, thereby defining a stem-resonator-fiber assembly, wherein a portion of the stem-resonator-fiber assembly including the WGM resonator can fit within an imaginary cylinder having a diameter of 7 mm (or 2 mm, or even 1 mm). Such a whispering gallery mode (“WGM”) dip sensor, including (1) a stem, (2) a WGM resonator, and (3) feed and pickup optical fibers, may be made by (a) fabricating the WGM resonator and the stem from an optical fiber; (b) fabricating tapers on the feed and pickup fibers; (c) positioning tapers of the feed and pickup fibers relative to the WGM resonator such that an optical coupling between the tapers and the WGM resonator is established; and (d) mechanically coupling the stem with the feed and pickup fibers.

A component or device is provided for the detection or the measurement in parallel of one or more specific types of biological or chemical target products. This component includes a group of nanotubes selected and/or functionalized to interact with the target product, around an optical waveguide. Thus, an optical coupling is produced between the optical waveguide and one or more optical characteristics of these nanotubes, the modifications of which are evaluated in the presence of the target product. In addition, a method is provided for manufacturing and preparing such a component or device, and a detection method using them, as well as a post-manufacture preparation method comprising a specific functionalization for different target products starting from the same type of pluripotent generic component. Also provided is a family of PFO-based functionalization polymers.

An a system and method for chaos transfer between multiple detuned signals in a resonator mediated by chaotic mechanical oscillation induced stochastic resonance where at least one signal is strong and where at least one signal is weak and where the strong and weak signal follow the same route, from periodic oscillations to quasi-periodic and finally to chaotic oscillations, as the strong signal power is increased.

A device includes a substrate, a pedestal extending from the substrate, and a ring resonator disposed on the pedestal above the substrate. The ring resonator has a resonance wavelength greater than 1.5 μm and includes at least one of silicon and chalcogenide glass. The device can be used as a ring resonator sensor or a light source. The ring resonator is substantially transparent to mid-infrared radiation to reduce optical losses. The pedestal has a narrower width compared to the ring resonator to generate improved interaction between evanescent fields of light in the ring resonator and analytes nearby the ring resonator, thereby increasing sensing sensitivity. In addition, fabrication of the device is compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes and hence is amenable to large scale manufacturing.

Systems and methods are provided for detecting one or more particles such as individual unlabeled molecules or single nanoparticles. In examples described herein, optical energy is introduced into a microtoroid or other microcavity to generate an evanescent field. The microcavity has a functionalized outer surface that has been functionalized with a chemically or biologically active substance such as an antibody, antigen or protein. An indication of a particle bound to the functionalized outer surface of the microcavity is then detected based on a reactive interaction between the particle and the evanescent field while using frequency locking, balanced detection and various filtering techniques. The frequency locking, balanced detection and filtering techniques reduce the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the detection system so that single nanoparticles (e.g. 2.5 nanometers (nm) in radius) and individual molecules (e.g. 15.5 kilo-Dalton (kDa) in size) can be detected in aqueous solution in some examples.

Apparatus and methods for analyzing single molecule and performing nucleic acid sequencing. An integrated device includes multiple pixels with sample wells configured to receive a sample, which, when excited, emits radiation; at least one element for directing the emission radiation in a particular direction; and a light path along which the emission radiation travels from the sample well toward a sensor. The apparatus also includes an instrument that interfaces with the integrated device. Each sensor may detect emission radiation from a sample in a respective sample well. The instrument includes an excitation light source for exciting the sample in each sample well.

Apparatus and methods for improving optical signal collection in an integrated device are described. A microdisk can be formed in an integrated device and increase collection and/or concentration of radiation incident on the microdisk and re-radiated by the microdisk. An example integrated device that can include a microdisk may be used for analyte detection and/or analysis. Such an integrated device may include a plurality of pixels, each having a reaction chamber for receiving a sample to be analyzed, an optical microdisk, and an optical sensor configured to detect optical emission from the reaction chamber. The microdisk can comprise a dielectric material having a first index of refraction that is embedded in one or more surrounding materials having one or more different refractive index values.

This invention provides new methods and apparatus for rapidly analyzing a single bioparticle or a plurality of bioparticles to assess their condition. The invention is enabled by an optical microcavity comprising reflective structures to confine light and bioparticles in the same space. Under resonance conditions, an electromagnetic standing wave is established in the microcavity to interact with the bioparticle. Means are provided to bring a bioparticle into the microcavity and to detect changes in the resonance condition with and without the bioparticle in the microcavity. Information about the bioparticle is obtained using the benefits of light interactions as fast, non-contacting, and non-destructive.

Apparatus, sensor chips and techniques for optical sensing of substances by using optical sensors on sensor chips.

A photonic aerosol particle sensor includes a microfluidic sensor chamber in which is disposed a plurality of photonic waveguide resonators each having a photonic waveguide on an underlying substrate, along a separate waveguide resonator path with a lateral width different than that of other photonic waveguide resonators. All waveguides in the plurality have a common vertical thickness of a common waveguide material having a refractive index that is larger than that of the underlying substrate material. An optical input connection couples light into the waveguide resonators. An aerosol particle input fluidically connected to the microfluidic chamber fluidically conveys aerosol particles to the chamber, and an aerosol particle output fluidically connected to the microfluidic chamber fluidically conveys aerosol particles out of the chamber. At least one optical output connection accepts light out of the plurality of photonic waveguide resonators to provide a signal indicative of at least one aerosol particle characteristic.