Plasmonically enhanced optical ring resonators for label-free single molecule detection

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The objective of the proposed collaborative research is to develop a plasmonically enhanced opticalring resonator (PEORR) sensor array for unlabelled biomolecule detection at the single molecule level.The proposed hybrid sensor synergizes microfabricated ring resonators and nanofabricated plasmonicnanostructures. It takes advantage of the excellent sensing resolution associated with the ring resonatorand the tremendously enhanced sensitivity arising from the plasmonic nanostructures to achieve singlemolecule detection, and of the carousel effect from the ring resonator for efficient capture and transport ofbiomolecules for sample enrichment and expeditious detection. Intellectual Merit: Detection and study of biomolecules at the single molecule level allow to probe andcharacterize molecules in unprecedented detail. Traditional single molecule detection relies primarily onfluorescence microscopy, which requires sophisticated instruments and complicated dye labelingprocesses that may adversely affect a molecules functionality. Broader Impact: The proposed project will be carried out synergistically by the terms from the Universityof Michigan and the Polytechnic Institute at New York University. Graduate students will betrained in interdisciplinary science and will work in each of the two labs through an exchange program.Undergraduate students will be paired with graduate students to obtain hands-on experience. Videos onYoutube will be jointly created to publicize the research findings. Finally, the PI will work with local non-Ph.D. granting colleges to develop a summer program for their students to conduct research in the PI'slab at the University of Michigan.