Photonic Functional Building Block Group

A. Timperman, M. Shi, Chemistry, L. Hornak (FBBG Lead), D. Korakakis, CSEE; T. Myers, Physics; N. Wu, MAE, P. Gannett, Pharmacy, P. Georgel, Biology (MU), J. Miksovska, Chemistry (MU)

Objective

Merging of photonic transduction and transport addressing approaches to advance the LOD, integration, and fieldability of rapid molecular detection for security, health, environmental and energy applications.

Current Approaches

• Evanescent Interaction: Stacked Planar Affinity-Regulated Resonate Optical Waveguide (SPARROW) device.
• Photonic Crystals: Enzymatic Defect Initiation and FRET detection in Si and wide BG PCs
• Source/Detection Building Blocks: Freq. doubled NdYAG, GaN MQW detectors.
• Co-integration of fluidic and photonic functions.
• Focus to date on bacillus-size simulant and enzymes, latex beads for proof of concept.

Accomplishments and Plans

• Key lab and equipment infrastructure in place: growth, fabrication, characterization.
• Fluidic transport and SPARROW waveguide stack cointegrated & test bed evaluation underway, LOD modeling advancing.
• Initial PC defect modeling complete, fabrication underway.
• Raman Gas Detection Integrated Sensor work underway with Univ. of Pittsburgh
• ONR & DOE-NETL grants, LAI Collaboration.