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

分离对映体对于产生生物活性分子至关重要，例如在早期药物发现中。CHIRALFORCE旨在采用一种全新的策略，在硅基集成波导上使用手性光力来分离芯片上的对映体。目前手性色谱的解决方案对于这个数十亿美元的市场来说是缓慢和繁琐的，因为它需要为每个手性化合物量身定制化学反应，并且依赖于大型和昂贵的分离柱。相反，CHIRALFORCE设想厘米长的光学电路集成微流体，以实现极其快速，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性光学极化率的相互作用，其基本机制依赖于光力的对映选择性。通过强约束模式的纳米光子设计，这些手性光力可以被定制，远远超出自由空间手性光的可能性。分析物在微流体通道中沿厘米长的激光驱动将导致对映体分离。实现我们主要目标的方法依赖于三个主要的联盟力量。首先，我们将设计和合成手性分子和纳米颗粒，这将使我们能够探索手性力，而不管物质的手性极化如何被大小，形状和内置的光谱共振所调节。接下来，我们将利用我们在纳米光子理论，设计和实验方面的优势，在电磁场的手性/自旋性质上，建立液体环境中纳米颗粒和分子的手性光力的总体框架。最后，我们将利用我们在纳米技术方面的经验来制造集成微流体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.