GOALI: Infrared Optical Microcavity Sensors for High-Sensitivity, High-Specificity Molecular Detection.

用于高灵敏度、高特异性分子检测的红外光学微腔传感器。智力价值：本提案的目标是开发新型光学传感器，该传感器具有足够的单分子检测灵敏度，同时还提供高选择性，而无需表面功能化或标记。我们的战略将包括发展在红外领域工作的光学微腔。具有高Q因子的微腔允许长时间限制光并在光学腔内建立高强度。这允许光信号对目标分子进行多次采样，并将检测灵敏度提高几个数量级，直至达到单分子分辨率。目前的光学谐振器技术是基于氧化物玻璃材料，其具有限于约2 μ m的光透射窗口。这排除了访问2-16 μ m之间的红外域。在这个项目中，我们将建立在我们长期的经验与硫系玻璃生产传感器的基础上，光纤和谐振微球具有高透明度，在整个中红外区域。在这里，我们建议建立和测试第一种能够实现单分子检测的技术，同时本质上为目标分子的识别提供高选择性。这项研究有可能导致传感器技术的重大飞跃。如果成功，该项目将为第一个无标记、无结合剂、具有单分子灵敏度和高分子特异性的光学传感器提供概念验证。更广泛的影响：该项目开发的高灵敏度传感器将产生直接的社会影响。检测痕量化学品，如爆炸物或生物危险物质，对国家安全或生物医学研究具有重要意义。这些领域需要具有高灵敏度的传感器，并具有足够的通用性来识别各种分子。这些传感器也将在生物技术和生物医学研究的分子过程的基础研究中产生许多影响。此外，该研究计划将培养来自工程领域代表性不足的群体的学生，并将直接让本科生参与最先进的研究项目，旨在吸引有前途的学生进入工程科学研究生课程。拟议的研究也将完全融入与我们的合作者在法国雷恩大学的国际博士课程。毕业生将在两个研究所交替进行课程工作和研究活动，并将获得双博士学位。这将培养我们的学生面对在国际环境中运作的挑战，并将独特地为他们未来的载体做好准备，他们越来越有可能接触到国际合作。

Infrared Optical Microcavity Sensors for High-Sensitivity, High-Specificity Molecular Detection.Intellectual merit: The goal of this proposal is to develop novel optical sensors that have enough sensitivity for single-molecule detection while also providing high selectivity without the need for surface functionalization or labeling. Our strategy will consist in developing optical microcavities operating in the infrared domain. Microcavities with high Q-factors permit to confine light for a long time and build up high intensity within the optical cavity. This allows the light signal to sample a target molecule many more times and increases the detection sensitivity by orders of magnitude down to the single molecule resolution. Current optical resonator technologies are based on oxide glass materials which have an optical transmission window limited to about 2 um. This preclude from accessing the infrared domain between 2-16 um. In this project we will build on our long experience with chalcogenide glasses to produce sensors based on fibers and resonant microspheres with high transparency over the entire mid-IR region. Here, we propose to build and test the first technique capable of achieving single-molecule detection while intrinsically providing high-selectivity for identification of target molecules. This research has the potential to induce a major leap forward in sensor technology. If successful, this project will provide a proof of concept for the first label-free, binding-agent-free optical sensor with single-molecule sensitivity and high molecular specificity.Broader Impact: The high sensitivity sensors developed in this project would have a direct societal impact. Detection of trace quantities of chemicals such as explosives or bio-hazardous substances has crucial implications for national security or bio-medical research. These fields require sensors that have high-sensitivity and are sufficiently versatile to identify a wide range of molecules. These sensors would also have many implications in the fundamental study of molecular processes for bio-technology and bio-medical research. Additionally, this research program will train students from underrepresented groups in the field of engineering and will directly involve undergraduate students in state-of-the-art research projects and aim at attracting promising students toward graduate studies in the Engineering Sciences. The proposed research will also be fully integrated into an international PhD program with our collaborators at the University of Rennes in France. Graduates students will perform course work and research activities alternately in both institutes and will gain a double PhD diploma. This will train our student to face the challenges of functioning in an international setting and will uniquely prepare them for future carrier in which they are increasingly likely to be exposed to international collaborations.