Miniature metasurface-based platforms as portable sensors for single plastic nanoparticles and exosomes (Creating miniature metalenses on a chip for portable devices that detect single nanoparticles and biomolecules)

Contract number

075-15-2024-622

Time span of the project

2024-2027

Laboratory's website

Laboratory

Laboratory of Controlled Optical Nanostructures

Organization

Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology - (MIPT)

City

Dolgoprudniy

Goals of project:

Creation of a portable and compact device based on a metalens capable of detecting the fluorescence signal of single diffusing objects in an aqueous solution. This device will be a preliminary prototype of a new type of portable biosensors for diagnostics.
Optimization of the efficiency of operation and testing of functional applications of an optical metalens for detecting the fluorescence signal of exosomes and nanoplastics.

Project objective:

numerical simulations of the performance of integrated metalenses on waveguides, taking into account the capabilities of nanofabrication centers and collaborating laboratories;
creation of an integrated circuit with a radiation input/output channel and metalenses for focusing laser radiation, as well as collecting the photoluminescence signal and scattering of diffusing nanoparticles and molecules;
alignment of a time-resolved optical confocal microscope with single-photon counters to perform fluorescence correlation spectroscopy of diffusing single molecules and nanoparticles using bulk optics;
leverage of an optical setup to test the performance of an integrated metalens and detect fluorescence and light scattering of diffusing nanoparticles, fluorescent labels, and single biomarkers of diseases;
studying the possibility of multiplexed fluorescence detection based on several channels with integral metalens, as well as testing the performance of the device during movement.
testing of a metalens for detecting the fluorescence of single diffusing exosomes;
determination of the main characteristics of the metalens, including the concentration threshold for detecting exosomes in solution;
search for fiber-optic cables for a metalens that focuses light from a fiber-optic cable in order to reduce the detection threshold for fluorescence of objects;
reduction of the optical system in order to demonstrate the possibility of portable use.

Planned project results:

The main result of the study will be an experimental demonstration of the ability of the created metalens device to detect the fluorescence of single molecules and nanoparticles. Optimal parameters for nanofabrication of an integral metalens in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges will be found using numerical simulations. The limit of detection concentrations of emitters (disease biomarkers, nanoparticles coated with fluorescent tags) will be found as an indicator for future use of the device. The device will be shown to perform consistently when carried, as evidence of portability and sustained effectiveness. Once the device is created, the ability of multiplex detection of several fluorescent objects by creating several waveguide channels with integrated metalenses will be demonstrated. Target applications of this device will be point-of-care diagnostics and environmental monitoring.

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