PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | February 23, 2017
Proc. SPIE. 10081, Frontiers in Biological Detection: From Nanosensors to Systems IX
KEYWORDS: Optical components, Refractive index, Biosensing, Biomedical optics, Resonators, Waveguides, Sensors, Molecules, Silicon, Reflectivity, Biosensors, Photonic crystals, Molecular interactions, Silicon photonics, Optical microcavities, Molecular photonics
The formation of resonant photonic structures in porous silicon leverages the benefit of high surface area for improved molecular capture that is characteristic of porous materials with the advantage of high detection sensitivity that is a feature of resonant optical devices. This review provides an overview of the biosensing capabilities of a variety of resonant porous silicon photonic structures including microcavities, Bloch surface waves, ring resonators, and annular Bragg resonators. Detection sensitivities > 1000 nm/RIU are achieved for small molecule detection. The challenge of detecting molecules that approach and exceed the pore diameter is also addressed.
