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Development of miniaturized on-chip metalenses as portable devices detecting single nanoparticles and biomolecules

Contract number
075-15-2024-622
Time span of the project
2024-2025
Host organization
Laboratory
Laboratory of Controlled Optical Nanostructures
Organization
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology - (MIPT)
City
Dolgoprudniy
Goals and objectives

Goals of project:

The study aims to create a portable and compact metalens-based device that is capable to detect fluorescence signal from single diffusing objects in an aqueous solution. This device will represent a preliminary prototype of novel portable biosensors for diagnostics.

Project objective: 

  1. numerical simulations of the performance of integrated metalenses on waveguides, taking into account the capabilities of nanofabrication centers and collaborating laboratories;
  2. 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;
  3. 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;
  4. 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;
  5. 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.

The practical value of the study

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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