Inspired by exceptional point (EP) sensing in non-Hermitian systems, in this work, a label-free biosensor for detecting low-concentration analytes is proposed, via a special multilayer structure: a resonant optical tunneling resonator. Due to the square root topology near the exceptional point, a recognized target analyte perturbs the system deviated from the exceptional point, leading to resolvable modes splitting in the transmission spectrum. The performance of the designed sensor is analyzed by the coupled-mode theory and transfer matrix method, separately. Here, the simulation results demonstrate that the obtained sensitivity is 17,120 nm/imaginary part unit of refractive index (IP) and the theoretical detection limit is 4.2 × 10-8 IP (regarding carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), the minimum detection value is 1.78 ng). Instead of the typical diffusion manner, the liquid sample is loaded by convection, which can considerably improve the efficiency of sample capture and shorten the response time of the sensor. The sketched sensor may find potential application in the fields of biomedical detection, environment protection, and drinking water safety.
Keywords: biosensing; carcinoembryonic antigen; exceptional point; resonant optical tunneling effect.