An LSPR Sensor Integrated with VCSEL and Microfluidic Chip

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2022 Jul 29;12(15):2607. doi: 10.3390/nano12152607.

Abstract

The work introduces a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor chip integrated with vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). Using VCSEL as the light source, the hexagonal gold nanoparticle array was integrated with anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) as the mask on the light-emitting end face. The sensitivity sensing test of the refractive index solution was realized, combined with microfluidic technology. At the same time, the finite-difference time- domain (FDTD) algorithm was applied to model and simulate the gold nanostructures. The experimental results showed that the output power of the sensor was related to the refractive index of the sucrose solution. The maximum sensitivity of the sensor was 1.65 × 106 nW/RIU, which gives it great application potential in the field of biomolecular detection.

Keywords: VCSEL; anodic aluminum oxide film; localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR); microfluidic; sensor.