On-chip dielectric micro/nano structures for Mid-IR and Raman Spectroscopic signal enhancement for biomarker diagnostics

迫切需要一种诊断工具，可以在病人的床边和医生的手术中迅速产生结果。快速、准确的结果将有助于快速做出治疗决定，并以更低的成本挽救生命。相比之下，现有技术需要将样品转移到配备精密仪器和高技能人员的中心实验室。中红外光谱和拉曼光谱都已被证明是特定生物标志物的强大生物诊断工具，然而，将这两种技术的优势结合在一个芯片上，将利用它们的互补性，更有效地识别疾病的生物标志物。该项目的总体目标是使用先进材料开发ATR/拉曼芯片，并将该芯片用于新生儿呼吸窘迫综合征（nRDS）诊断的原理验证演示。具体而言，该项目将涉及这些芯片的计算建模和设计，包括使用谐振结构的信号增强功能。接下来将在我们的洁净室中以硅和塑料等材料为基础制造芯片。制造的设备将首先在ORC进行表征，然后应用于临床诊断应用，包括与南安普顿大学医院和伦敦大学学院医院合作的nRDS。

There is a pressing need for diagnostic tools that can produce results quickly from patients' bedsides and in doctors' surgeries. Rapid, accurate results will allow rapid therapeutic decisions and save lives at reduced cost. In contrast, existing technologies require transfer of samples to centrally located laboratories equipped with sophisticated instruments, and highly skilled personnel. Both Mid-IR and Raman spectroscopies have been shown independently to be powerful biodiagnostic tool for specific biomarkers, however, combining the strengths of both these techniques on a single chip will take advantage of their complementarity in identifying biomarkers of disease much more efficiently.The overall aim of this project is to develop the ATR/Raman chips using advanced materials and apply the chip for proof of principle demonstration for the diagnostics of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (nRDS). In specific the project will involve computational modelling and design of these chips including signal enhancement features using resonating structures. This will be followed by fabrication of the chips in our cleanrooms based on materials such as silicon and plastics. Fabricated devices will be first characterised at the ORC and then applied to clinical diagnostic applications including nRDS in collaboration with University Hospital Southampton and University College London Hospital.