Bistable devices are constructed using a polynucleotide platform for sensing molecular events such as binding or conformational changes of target molecules. Uses include measurement of target concentration, measuring the effect of environmental condition (such as heat, light, or pH) on the target, or screening a library for molecules that bind the target or modulate its biological function. Devices comprise three regions: a top lid, bottom lid, and flexible linker or hinge between them. A device has an open configuration in which the top and bottom lid are separated, and a closed configuration they are bound close together. Binding domains or variations of the target molecule are fixed to a device so that when the molecular event occurs, the device switches from open to closed, or vice versa, which generates a signal. Optimal device design is determined by the signal modality (optical or electronic) used to measure closure of surface-immobilized devices.

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

An optical microtoroid resonator including one or more nanoparticles attached to a surface of the resonator and capable of receiving an input signal from afar-field source (via free-space transmission) and outputting light propagating within the optical apparatus. A method for coupling light into and out of an optical resonator using a nanoparticle or nanoparticles to interface with spatially separated far-field optical elements.

An optical system includes an optical resonant cavity, an optical source, an optical detector, and a signal processing circuit. The optical source is arranged to provide a source beam of light to be at least partially coupled into the optical resonant cavity. The optical detector is arranged to detect light from the source beam of light after the source beam of light has coupled into the optical resonant cavity to provide a detection signal. The signal processing circuit is configured to communicate with the optical detector to receive the detection signal. The optical resonant cavity has a bioconjugatable lipid membrane on a surface thereof. The bioconjugatable lipid membrane is functionalized to capture a specific biomolecule, and the signal processing circuit is further configured to determine a presence of the specific biomolecule when captured by the functionalized bioconjugatable lipid membrane based on processing the detection signal.

Devices and methods of providing a high-performance optical sensor disclose a sensor comprised of a porous material designed to have a multilayer rib-type or multilayer pillar-type waveguide geometry. The resulting porous nanomaterial multilayer-rib or multilayer-pillar waveguide design is optically capable of achieving ˜100% confinement factor while maintaining small mode area and single-mode character. Fabrication of the device is enabled by an inverse processing technique, wherein silicon wafers are first patterned and etched through well-established techniques, which allows porous nanomaterial synthesis (i.e., porous silicon anodization) either at the wafer-scale or at the chip-scale after wafer dicing. While ˜100% is an optimal target, typical devices per presently disclosed subject matter may operate with ˜98-99+%, while allowing for some design adjustments to be made if necessary, and still maintaining high sensitivity. i.e., >85-90% confinement suitable in some applications. In those instances, a primary benefit would still be use of the presently disclosed fabrication technology.

A layer of amorphous Ge is formed on a substrate using electron-beam evaporation. The evaporation is performed at room temperature. The layer of amorphous Ge has a thickness of at least 50 nm and a purity of at least 90% Ge. The substrate is complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible and is transparent at Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) wavelengths. The layer of amorphous Ge can be used as a waveguide in chemical sensing and data communication applications. The amorphous Ge waveguide has a transmission loss in the LWIR of 11 dB/cm or less at 8 μm.

The present invention is directed to a biosensor (10) having a photonic sensing device (20), a sheet of a porous material (60), and an optically clear cover layer (70). The optically clear cover layer (70) may be removable and replaceable, whereby the sheet of porous material (60) can be replaced, and the photonic sensing device (20) can be re-used. Detection devices (810, 910) that include the biosensor (10), as well as methods of making and using the biosensor (10) are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods suitable to measure trace amounts of specific ions in fluid samples. An example system includes a resonator having an input coupler and an output coupler. The example system also includes an ion-selective membrane (ISM) optically coupled to at least a portion of the resonator. The system additionally includes a light source configured to illuminate the resonator by way of the input coupler. Furthermore, the system includes a detector configured to receive output light by way of the output coupler and provide information indicative a concentration of a specific ion proximate to tire ISM.

Building blocks are provided for on-chip chemical sensors and other highly-compact photonic integrated circuits combining interband or quantum cascade lasers and detectors with passive waveguides and other components integrated on a III-V or silicon. A MWIR or LWIR laser source is evanescently coupled into a passive extended or resonant-cavity waveguide that provides evanescent coupling to a sample gas (or liquid) for spectroscopic chemical sensing. In the case of an ICL, the uppermost layer of this passive waveguide has a relatively high index of refraction that enables it to form the core of the waveguide, while the ambient air, consisting of the sample gas, functions as the top cladding layer. A fraction of the propagating light beam is absorbed by the sample gas if it contains a chemical species having a fingerprint absorption feature within the spectral linewidth of the laser emission.

Building blocks are provided for on-chip chemical sensors and other highly-compact photonic integrated circuits combining interband or quantum cascade lasers and detectors with passive waveguides and other components integrated on a III-V or silicon. A MWIR or LWIR laser source is evanescently coupled into a passive extended or resonant-cavity waveguide that provides evanescent coupling to a sample gas (or liquid) for spectroscopic chemical sensing. In the case of an ICL, the uppermost layer of this passive waveguide has a relatively high index of refraction that enables it to form the core of the waveguide, while the ambient air, consisting of the sample gas, functions as the top cladding layer. A fraction of the propagating light beam is absorbed by the sample gas if it contains a chemical species having a fingerprint absorption feature within the spectral linewidth of the laser emission.