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

迫切需要能够在患者床边和医生手术中快速产生结果的诊断工具。快速，准确的结果将允许快速的治疗决策，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有精密仪器和高技能人员的中心实验室。中红外和拉曼光谱都已被独立地证明是用于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。拉曼芯片采用先进的材料，并应用该芯片进行原理论证，用于新生儿呼吸窘迫综合征（nRDS）的诊断。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。随后将在我们的洁净室中基于硅和塑料等材料制造芯片。制造的设备将首先在ORC进行表征，然后与大学医院南安普顿和大学学院伦敦医院合作应用于临床诊断应用，包括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.