System and methods for analyzing single molecules and performing nucleic acid sequencing. An integrated device may include multiple pixels with sample wells configured to receive a sample, which when excited, emits radiation. The integrated device includes a surface having a trench region recessed from a portion of the surface and an array of sample wells, disposed in the trench region. The integrated device also includes a waveguide configured to couple excitation energy to at least one sample well in the array and positioned at a first distance from a surface of the trench region and at a second distance from the surface in a region separate from the trench region. The first distance is smaller than the second distance. The system also includes an instrument that interfaces with the integrated device. The instrument may include an excitation energy source for providing excitation energy to the integrated device by coupling to an excitation energy coupling region of the integrated device.

Under one aspect, a device is provided for use in luminescent imaging. The device can include a photonic superlattice including a first material, the first material having a first refractive index. The first material can include first and second major surfaces and first and second pluralities of features defined through at least one of the first and second major surfaces, the features of the first plurality differing in at least one characteristic from the features of the second plurality. The photonic superlattice can support propagation of a first wavelength and a second wavelength approximately at a first angle out of the photonic superlattice, the first and second wavelengths being separated from one another by a first non-propagating wavelength that does not selectively propagate at the first angle out of the photonic superlattice.

Under one aspect, a device is provided for use in luminescent imaging. The device can include a photonic superlattice including a first material, the first material having a first refractive index. The first material can include first and second major surfaces and first and second pluralities of features defined though at least one of the first and second major surfaces, the features of the first plurality differing in at least one characteristic from the features of the second plurality. The photonic superlattice can support propagation of a first wavelength and a second wavelength approximately at a first angle out of the photonic superlattice, the first and second wavelengths being separated from one another by a first non-propagating wavelength that does not selectively propagate at the first angle out of the photonic superlattice. The device further can include a second material having a second refractive index that is different than the first refractive index. The second material can be disposed within, between, or over the first and second pluralities of features and can include first and second luminophores. The device further can include a first optical component disposed over one of the first and second major surfaces of the first material. The first optical component can receive luminescence emitted by the first luminophore at the first wavelength approximately at the first angle, and can receive luminescence emitted by the second luminophore at the second wavelength approximately at the first angle.

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.

The invention relates to a surface refractive index scanning system for characterization of a sample. The system comprises a grating device for holding or receiving the sample, the device comprising at least a first grating region having a first grating width along a transverse direction, and a second grating region having a second grating width in the transverse direction. The first grating region and the second grating region are adjacent in the transverse direction, wherein the first grating region has a grating period Λ.sub.1 in a longitudinal direction, and the second grating region has a grating period Λ.sub.2 in the longitudinal direction, where the longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the transverse direction. A grating period spacing ΔΛ=Λ.sub.1-Λ.sub.2 is finite. Further, the first and second grating periods are chosen to provide optical resonances for light respectively in a first wavelength band and a second wavelength band, light is being emitted, transmitted, or reflected in an out-of-plane direction, wherein the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band are at least partially non-overlapping in wavelength. The system further comprises a light source for illuminating at least a part of the grating device with light at an illumination wavelength band. Additionally, the system comprises an imaging system for imaging the emitted, transmitted or reflected light from the grating device. The imaging system comprises an optical element, such as a cylindrical lens or a bended mirror, configured for focusing light in a transverse direction and for being invariant in an orthogonal transverse direction, the optical element being oriented such that the longitudinal direction of the grating device is oriented to coincide with the invariant direction of the optical element, and an imaging spectrometer comprising an entrance slit having a longitudinal direction oriented to coincide with the invariant direction of the optical element. The imaging spectrometer further comprises a 2-dimensional image sensor. The invention further relates to a method.

Provided is a biosensor. The biosensor includes a substrate, an optical structure provided on the substrate, and a cover provided on the substrate and having a bridge shape that is in contact with a top surface of the substrate at both sides of the optical structure. The cover has a channel extending in a first direction, the optical structure is provided inside the channel, and the optical structure is configured to capture biomaterials that travel through the channel.

An interferometric chip is provided that includes a substrate having one or more waveguide channels having a sensing layer thereon. Related methods are also provided.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for excitation and measurement of biochemical interactions. Excitation circuitry is configured to apply one or more excitation conditions to a biologically gated transistor that includes a channel, so that one or more output signals from the biologically gated transistor are affected by the excitation condition(s) and by a biochemical interaction of moieties within a sample fluid in contact with the channel surface. Measurement circuitry is configured to obtain information corresponding to the biochemical interaction occurring at one or more measurement distances greater than an electrostatic screening distance from the surface of the channel, by performing a plurality of time-dependent measurements of affected output signals, using a measurement bandwidth that corresponds to the measurement distances. An analysis module is configured to characterize one or more parameters of the biochemical interaction based on the time-dependent measurements.

A dispersive element comprises a substrate, a metal thin film made of pure metal and disposed on the substrate, and a polymer layer made of a resin that passes visible light and disposed on the metal thin film. A plurality of nanoholes each having a diameter smaller than the visible light's wavelength are periodically formed in the polymer layer. The polymer layer has a point defect in at least a portion of the plurality of nanoholes.

A fluorescence immunoassay device based on integration of a photonic crystal and magnetic beads and a method thereof are provided. Magnetic beads with high surface-to-volume ratio are used as carriers of fluorescent molecules to obtain higher fluorescence density. The electric field on the surface of the photonic crystal is enhanced through excitation of photonic crystal resonance. The intensity of the fluorescence signal excited by the enhanced electric field is increased. Moreover, through interaction with the photonic crystal, some fluorescent signals that originally cannot be received by the fluorescent sensor are coupled to the photonic crystal resonant modes and reradiate toward the fluorescent sensor, thereby increasing collection efficiency. The fluorescence signals generated by fluorescent molecules on the magnetic beads are significantly intensified, which could lower the detection limit. Furthermore, the magnetic beads aggregation method can achieve the detection capability that cannot be achieved by the current fluorescent immunoassay.