Waveguide Mach-Zehnder biosensor with laser diode pumped integrated single-mode silicon nitride organic hybrid solid-state laser

Abstract

Single-mode organic solid-state lasers with direct emission into an optical waveguide are attractive candidates for cost-efficient coherent light sources employed in photonic lab-on-a-chip biosensors. Here, we present a combination of a dye-doped organic solid-state distributed feedback laser with a highly sensitive optical waveguide Mach-Zehnder interferometer on a silicon nitride photonic platform. This organic-hybrid laser allows for optical pumping with a laser diode in an alignment tolerant manner, which facilitates applications in point-of-care diagnostics. The sensitivity to bulk refractive index changes and the concentration dependent binding of streptavidin on a polyethyleneimine-biotin functionalized surface was studied to demonstrate the practicability of this cost-efficient coherent light source for optical waveguide biosensors.

Keywords: Distributed feedback; Mach-Zehnder interferometer; Optical waveguide biosensor; Organic solid-state laser; Point-of-care diagnostics; Silicon nitride.