Open Access
Lossy mode resonance enabling ultra-low detection limit for fibre-optic biosensors (INVITED)
(Springer, 2020) Chiavaioli, Francesco; Giannetti, Ambra; Tombelli, Sara; Trono, Cosimo; Del Villar, Ignacio; Matías Maestro, Ignacio; Zubiate Orzanco, Pablo; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Baldini, Francesco; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, 72/2015
The combination of optical fibre-based biosensors with nanotechnologies is providing the opportunity for the development of in situ, portable, lightweight, versatile and high-sensitivity optical sensing platforms. We report on the generation of lossy mode resonances (LMRs) by means of the deposition of nm-thick SnO2 film on optical fibres. This allows measuring precisely and accurately the changes in refractive index of the fibre-surrounding medium with very high sensitivity compared to other optical technology platforms, such as long period grating or surface plasmon resonance. This approach, mixed with the use of specialty fiber structures such as Dshaped fibres, allows improving the light-matter interaction in strong way. Different imaging systems, i.e. SEM and TEM along with X-EDS tool, have been used to study the optical features of the fiber coating. The shift of the LMR has been monitored in real-time thanks to conventional wavelength interrogation system and ad hoc developed microfluidics. A big leap in performance has been attained by detecting femtomolar concentrations in human serum. The biosensor reusability has been also tested by using a solution of sodium dodecyl sulphate.
Open Access
Sensors based on thin-film coated cladding removed multimode optical fiber and single-mode multimode single-mode fiber: a comparative study
(Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2015) Del Villar, Ignacio; Socorro Leránoz, Abián Bentor; Hernáez Sáenz de Zaitigui, Miguel; Corres Sanz, Jesús María; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Sánchez Zábal, Pedro; Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Matías Maestro, Ignacio; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa
Two simple optical fibre structures that do not require the inscription of a grating, a cladding removed multimode optical fibre (CRMOF) and a single-mode multimode single-mode structure (SMS), are compared in terms of their adequateness for sensing once they are coated with thin-films.The thin-film deposited (TiO2/PSS) permits increasing the sensitivity to surrounding medium refractive index. The results obtained can be extrapolated to other fields such as biological or chemical sensing just by replacing the thin-film by a specific material.
Embargo
Photoisomerization-induced LMR shift for UV radiation detection
(Elsevier, 2024) Gallego Martínez, Elieser Ernesto; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Matías Maestro, Ignacio; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
This work presents an optical sensor for ultraviolet radiation (UV) detection, based on the combined effects of Lossy Mode Resonance (LMR) in the mid infrared (MIR) spectral region and the photoisomerization of a polymeric dye coating. LMR was obtained by means of a sputtered SnO2 thin film on a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoro (or alkoxy Vinyl Ether, PFA) substrate, along with a photo sensitive coating based on poly R-478. Obtained devices shown response and recovery times of 12 and 43 s, respectively, for an UV excitation of 71 mW at 365 nm. Sensitivity as a function of the excitation wavelength was studied with the highest value of 26 nm/mW obtained at 280 nm. For this excitation wavelength, the limit of detection (LoD) obtained was 0.024 mW. Four different excitation wavelengths were used to cover all UV regions (280, 310, 365 and 395 nm). All measurements were performed at room temperature and humidity (25 ¿C ± 1 ¿C and 13% R.H. ± 2% R.H. respectively). As far as we know, it is the first time that the LMR effect has been recognized in combination with a photoisomerization process.
Open Access
A comprehensive review: materials for the fabrication of optical fiber refractometers based on lossy mode resonance
(MDPI, 2020) Ozcariz Celaya, Aritz; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa, PJUPNA26
Lossy mode resonance based sensors have been extensively studied in recent years. The versatility of the lossy mode resonance phenomenon has led to the development of sensors based on different configurations that make use of a wide range of materials. The coating material is one of the key elements in the performance of a refractometer. This review paper intends to provide a global view of the wide range of coating materials available for the development of lossy mode resonance based refractometers.
Open Access
Fiber-based label-free D-dimer detection for early diagnosis of venous thromboembolism
(SPIE, 2020) Zubiate Orzanco, Pablo; Urrutia Azcona, Aitor; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Fernández Irigoyen, Joaquín; Giannetti, Ambra; Baldini, Francesco; Díaz Lucas, Silvia; Matías Maestro, Ignacio; Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Santamaría Martínez, Enrique; Del Villar, Ignacio; Chiavaioli, Francesco; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
D-dimer is a useful diagnostic biomarker for deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, collectively referred to as venous thromboembolism (VTE). The ability to detect in real-time the amount of D-dimer with a fast and reliable method is a key step to anticipate the appearance of these diseases. The combination of fiber-optic-based platforms for biosensing with the nanotechnologies is opening up the chance for the development of in situ, portable, lightweight, versatile, reliable and high-performance optical sensing devices towards lab-on-fiber technology. The generation of lossy mode resonances (LMRs) by means of the deposition of nm-thick absorbing metal-oxide films on special geometric-modified fibers allows measuring precisely and accurately surface refractive index changes, which are due to the binding interaction between a biological recognition element and the analyte under investigation. This approach enhances the light-matter interaction in a strong way, thus turning out to be more sensitive compared to other optical technology platforms, such as fiber gratings or surface plasmon resonance. Here, the results of a highly specific and sensitive biosensor for the detection of D-dimer based on LMR in fiber-optics are presented by monitoring in real-time the shift of the LMR related to the biomolecule interactions thanks to a conventional wavelength-interrogation system and an ad-hoc developed microfluidics. A detection limit of 100 ng/mL, a value 5-fold below the clinical cutoff value, has been attained for D-dimer spiked in human serum. The comparison of the results achieved with proteomics-based methodologies, which allows for the identification of betaand gamma-chains of fibrinogen, demonstrates the ability of our platform to specifically (>90%) recognize D-dimer.
Open Access
Giant sensitivity of optical fiber sensors by means of lossy moderesonance
(Elsevier, 2016) Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Del Villar, Ignacio; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Zubiate Orzanco, Pablo; Matías Maestro, Ignacio; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica
Here we show an optical refractometer with a giant sensitivity of 304,360 nm per refractive index unit(nm/RIU). This sensitivity corresponds to a resolution of 3.28 × 10−9RIU if a standard optical spectrumanalyzer with a resolution of 1 pm is used. This record sensitivity is obtained by means of a lossy moderesonance (LMR) optical fiber sensor in a surrounding media with refractive index around 1.45. Thisachievement implies that the utilization of the LMR phenomenon opens the door to devices and systemsthat can beat, in terms of sensitivity, those used currently in real-time biomolecular analysis such assurface plasmon resonance (SPR) devices.
Open Access
Fiber-optic lossy mode resonance sensors
(Elsevier, 2014) Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Del Villar, Ignacio; Corres Sanz, Jesús María; Goicoechea Fernández, Javier; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Elosúa Aguado, César; Hernáez Sáenz de Zaitigui, Miguel; Rivero Fuente, Pedro J.; Socorro Leránoz, Abián Bentor; Urrutia Azcona, Aitor; Sánchez Zábal, Pedro; Zubiate Orzanco, Pablo; López Torres, Diego; Acha Morrás, Nerea de; Matías Maestro, Ignacio; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
In the last 4 years, experimental evidences about the potential use of optical sensors based on Lossy Mode Resonances (LMR) have been presented in the literature. These LMR sensors have some similarities with Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensors, the gold standard in label-free, real-time biomolecular interaction analysis. In these new LMR sensors, if the non-metallic nanocladding of an optical waveguide fulfills the conditions explained in this work, coupling of light to the cladding modes happens at certain resonance wavelengths, which enables the use of LMR devices as refractometers and opens the door to diverse applications such as in biology and proteomics research. These highly sensitive refractometers have already shown sensitivities higher than 20,000 nm/RIU or 5x10-7 RIU and, given the youth of this field, it is expected to achieve even better values.
Open Access
Generation of lossy mode resonances (LMR) using perovskite nanofilms
(Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2024) Armas, Dayron; Matías Maestro, Ignacio; López-González, M. Carmen; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Zubiate Orzanco, Pablo; Del Villar, Ignacio; Romero, Beatriz; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
The results presented here show for the first time the experimental demonstration of the fabrication of lossy mode resonance (LMR) devices based on perovskite coatings deposited on planar waveguides. Perovskite thin films have been obtained by means of the spin coating technique and their presence was confirmed by ellipsometry, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction testing. The LMRs can be generated in a wide wavelength range and the experimental results agree with the theoretical simulations. Overall, this study highlights the potential of perovskite thin films for the development of novel LMR-based devices that can be used for environmental monitoring, industrial sensing, and gas detection, among other applications.
Open Access
Tunable optical fiber pH sensors based on TE and TM Lossy Mode Resonances (LMRs)
(Elsevier, 2016) Zubiate Orzanco, Pablo; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Del Villar, Ignacio; Matías Maestro, Ignacio; Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa
In this paper, a high sensitivity optical fiber pH sensor based on lossy mode resonance (LMR) generated with transversal electric (TE) and transversal magnetic (TM) polarized light is presented. Poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH)/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) polymeric thin-films fabricated onto side-polished Dshaped optical fibers are used as pH-sensitive as well as LMR supporting coatings. The adequate selection of the pH-sensitive coating fabrication parameters enables to obtain devices working at different pH regions. Two devices have been obtained in order to measure pH from 4.0 to 5.0 and from 7.0 to 8.0 respectively. Obtained optical fiber pH sensors based on TE and TM LMRs showed a maximum sensitivity of 69 nm/pH, which means a resolution of ∼0.0008 pH units by using a conventional communications Optical Spectrum Analyzer (OSA) with 0.06 nm resolution.
Open Access
Is there a frontier in sensitivity with lossy mode resonance (LMR) based refractometers?
(Nature Publishing Group, 2017) Ozcariz Celaya, Aritz; Ruiz Zamarreño, Carlos; Zubiate Orzanco, Pablo; Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
A tin dioxide thin layer has been studied in order to improve the sensitivity of lossy mode resonances (LMR) based sensors. The effects of the thin film thickness and the polarization of light in a SnO2 coated D-shaped single mode optical fiber have been evaluated. The optimization of such parameters in the fabrication of refractometers have led to an unprecedented sensitivity of over one million nanometers per refractive index unit (RIU), which means a sensitivity below 10^(−9) RIU with a pm resolution detector. This achievement is a milestone for the development of new high sensitivity devices and opens the door to new industrial applications, such as gear oil degradation, or biomedical devices where previous devices could not provide enough sensitivity.