CHIRALFORCE_Chiral separation of molecules enabled by enantioselective optical forces in integrated nanophotonic circuits

分离对映体对于生产生物活性分子至关重要，例如在早期药物发现中。CHIRALFORCE的目标是一种全新的策略，利用硅基集成波导上的手性光学力来分离芯片上的对映体。目前用于这个数十亿美元市场的手性色谱解决方案缓慢而笨拙，因为它需要为每一种手性化合物量身定做化学物质，并依赖于大型且昂贵的分离柱。取而代之的是，CHIRALFORCE设想将厘米长的光学电路与微流体集成在一起，以实现极快、可调和廉价的对映体分离。由于光场的自旋性质与物质的手征光学极化率的相互作用，其基本机制依赖于对映体选择性的光学力。这些手征光学力可以通过强受限模式的纳米光子设计来定制，远远超出自由空间手征光的可能性。在激光驱动下，在微流控通道中流动的分析物将导致对映体分离。实现我们主要目标的方法有赖于财团的三个主要优势。首先，我们将设计和合成手性分子和纳米粒子，使我们能够探索手性力，而无论物质的手性极化率如何受大小、形状和内置光谱共振的调节，接下来，我们将利用我们在纳米光子学理论、设计和实验方面的优势，建立液体环境中纳米粒子和分子上的手性光学力的一般框架，以及电磁场的手性/自旋性质。最后，我们将利用我们在纳米技术方面的经验来制造与微流体集成的硅基光子集成电路，以演示对映体分离。

Separating enantiomers is crucial to produce bio-active molecules, e.g., in early-phase drug discovery. CHIRALFORCE aims at a radically new strategy to separate enantiomers on chip, using chiral optical forces at silicon-based integrated waveguides. The present solution of chiral chromatography for this multi-billion market is slow and cumbersome since it requires tailored chemistry for each chiral compound and relies on large and expensive separation columns. Instead, CHIRALFORCE envisions cm-length optical circuits integrated with microfluidics for extremely quick, tuneable, and cheap enantiomeric separation. The underlying mechanism relies on optical forces that are enantioselective, due to interaction of spin-properties of the optical field with the chiral optical polarizability of matter. These chiral optical forces can be tailored well beyond the possibilities of free-space chiral light through nanophotonic design of strongly confined modes. Flowing analyte in microfluidic channels along cm-length laser-driven will then result in enantio-separation. The approach to reach our main objectives relies on three main consortium strengths. First, we will design and synthesize chiral molecules and nanoparticles that will allow us to explore chiral forces regardless of how the chiral polarizability of matter is tuned by the size, shape, and in-built spectroscopic resonances, Next, we will establish the general framework of chiral optical forces on nanoparticles and molecules in liquid environments, leveraging our strength in nanophotonic theory, design and experiment, on chiral/spin-properties of electromagnetic fields. Finally, we will leverage our experience in nanotechnology to fabricate silicon-based photonic integrated circuits integrated with microfluidics to demonstrate enantiomer separation.