Evanescent Radiation and Photothermal Effect in Whispering-Gallery Mode Optical Microcavities

该奖项支持在回音壁模式集成光学微腔中与单分子辐射相互作用期间的倏逝辐射和光热现象的基本原理的调查。长期目标是开发新一代片上系统光学微传感器，作为使用诱导信号变化（包括共振频率偏移和辐射强度降低和衰减）进行分子探测的极其灵敏的工具。为了建立支持这一目标的基本支柱，将进行全面的模拟研究，以了解集成器件中的微/纳米级辐射传输以及由于微腔和/或周围介质中的光子吸收对光共振和诱导信号的热效应。这些器件将与工业合作伙伴NJ Nanotechnology Consortium合作，使用光学光刻和传统集成电路处理在介电薄膜中制造。将进行用于检测单分子复合物中的目标分析物的概念验证研究。该项目将微/纳米级热传输和热现象的研究前沿与光学共振和新兴激光应用相结合。如果成功的话，它将促进对倏逝辐射与周围目标分子相互作用的光学和热机制的理解，最大限度地减少热噪声，确保良好的设备设计决策，并建立新的传感原理和模型可以验证和演示的措施。集成器件将导致小型化，均匀性，精确控制和大规模生产;所有这些对于在各种工业，政府和生物医学应用中实现实用的微传感器至关重要。该项目将通过工程课程的改进和学生参与研究来影响罗格斯大学研究生和本科生的教育。多学科合作和对行业和社区的推广将加强罗格斯大学的研究和教育基础设施，并使整个社区和社会受益。将广泛传播研究和教育成果。

This award supports the investigation of the fundamentals of evanescent radiation and photothermal phenomena during radiation interaction with single molecules in whispering-gallery mode integrated optical microcavities. The long-term goal is to develop a new generation of system-on-a-chip optical microsensors as an extremely sensitive tool for molecular probing using the induced signal changes including resonant frequency shift and radiation intensity reduction and decaying. To establish basic pillars supporting this goal, a comprehensive simulation study will be conducted to understand the micro/nanoscale radiation transport in the integrated devices and the thermal effects on the optical resonances and the induced signals due to photon absorption in the microcavities and/or the surrounding media. The devices will be fabricated in dielectric thin films using optical lithography and conventional integrated circuit processing in collaboration with an industrial partner the NJ Nanotechnology Consortium. A proof of concept study for detecting target analytes in single molecular complexes will be carried out. The project integrates the research frontiers of micro/nanoscale thermal transport and thermal phenomena with optical resonance and emerging laser applications. If successful, it will advance the understanding of the optical and thermal mechanisms of evanescent radiation interaction with surrounding target molecules, minimize thermal noise, ensure good device design decision making, and establish measures by which new sensing principles and models can be validated and demonstrated. The integrated devices will lead to miniaturization, uniformity, precise control, and mass production; all of these are crucial for enabling practical microsensors in a wide variety of industrial, government, and biomedical applications. The project will impact the education of Rutgers graduate and undergraduate students through engineering curriculum improvement and participation of students in research. The multidisciplinary collaborations and outreach to industry and community will enhance the infrastructure for research and education at Rutgers University and benefit the community and society at large. The research and education results will be widely disseminated.