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Photonic Crystals for Biomolecule Sensing Applications

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Nanophotonics in Biomedical Engineering

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Abstract

Photonic crystal (PhC) sensors offer important advantages in molecular diagnostic applications, such as detection of disease-related proteins, genes, and pathogenic viruses, and bacteria. This chapter briefly explains the operation principles of three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals, presents how the PhC structures can be fabricated inexpensively, and demonstrate several key applications as for the detection of biomolecules. These applications are based on four main sensing modalities: reflectometry, fluorescence emission, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and photoacoustic detection. The chapter discusses the implementations of PhC sensors to facilitate the detection of biomolecules via these venues. For each detection modality, we will elaborate the advantages provided by the PhC sensors in the context of specific applications and sensing performances, such as sensitivity and limit of detection. The PhC-based biosensors not only offer new ways to detect biomolecule with low cost and high throughput but also enable researchers and clinicians to improve exiting lab-based assays to achieve better assay sensitivities.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

    Le Wei, Shirin Pavin & Meng Lu

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

    Shirin Pavin & Meng Lu

  3. State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China

    Xiangwei Zhao

  4. National Demonstration Center for Experimental Biomedical Engineering Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China

    Xiangwei Zhao

Authors
  1. Le Wei
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  2. Shirin Pavin
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  3. Xiangwei Zhao
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  4. Meng Lu
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xiangwei Zhao or Meng Lu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

    Xiangwei Zhao

  2. Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

    Meng Lu

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Wei, L., Pavin, S., Zhao, X., Lu, M. (2021). Photonic Crystals for Biomolecule Sensing Applications. In: Zhao, X., Lu, M. (eds) Nanophotonics in Biomedical Engineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6137-5_1

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