GOALI: Infrared Optical Microcavity Sensors for High-Sensitivity, High-Specificity Molecular Detection.

用于高灵敏度、高特异度分子检测的红外光学微腔传感器。智能优点：这项提议的目标是开发新型光学传感器，具有足够的单分子检测灵敏度，同时提供高选择性，而不需要表面功能化或标记。我们的战略将包括开发工作在红外域的光学微腔。具有高Q因子的微腔允许长时间地限制光，并在光学腔内形成高强度。这允许光信号对目标分子进行多次采样，并将检测灵敏度提高了数量级，一直到单分子分辨率。目前的光学谐振器技术基于氧化物玻璃材料，其光学传输窗口被限制在约2um。这排除了在2-16微米之间访问红外域。在这个项目中，我们将以我们在硫化物玻璃方面的长期经验为基础，生产基于光纤的传感器和在整个中红外区域具有高透明度的共振微球。在这里，我们建议建立和测试第一种技术，能够实现单分子检测，同时本质上为识别目标分子提供高选择性。这项研究有可能引发传感器技术的重大飞跃。如果成功，该项目将为第一个具有单分子灵敏度和高分子特异性的无标签、无结合剂的光学传感器提供概念验证。广泛影响：该项目开发的高灵敏度传感器将产生直接的社会影响。检测微量化学品，如爆炸物或生物危险物质，对国家安全或生物医学研究具有重要影响。这些领域需要具有高灵敏度和足够多用途的传感器，以识别广泛的分子。这些传感器还将在生物技术和生物医学研究的分子过程基础研究中产生许多影响。此外，这项研究计划将培养工程领域中代表性不足的群体的学生，并将直接让本科生参与最先进的研究项目，旨在吸引有前途的学生进入工程科学的研究生学习。这项拟议的研究还将与我们在法国雷恩大学的合作者完全整合到一个国际博士项目中。研究生将在两所学院轮流进行课程工作和研究活动，并将获得双博士文凭。这将训练我们的学生面对在国际环境中发挥作用的挑战，并将独特地为他们为未来的航母做好准备，因为他们越来越有可能接触到国际合作。

Infrared Optical Microcavity Sensors for High-Sensitivity, High-Specificity Molecular Detection.Intellectual merit: The goal of this proposal is to develop novel optical sensors that have enough sensitivity for single-molecule detection while also providing high selectivity without the need for surface functionalization or labeling. Our strategy will consist in developing optical microcavities operating in the infrared domain. Microcavities with high Q-factors permit to confine light for a long time and build up high intensity within the optical cavity. This allows the light signal to sample a target molecule many more times and increases the detection sensitivity by orders of magnitude down to the single molecule resolution. Current optical resonator technologies are based on oxide glass materials which have an optical transmission window limited to about 2 um. This preclude from accessing the infrared domain between 2-16 um. In this project we will build on our long experience with chalcogenide glasses to produce sensors based on fibers and resonant microspheres with high transparency over the entire mid-IR region. Here, we propose to build and test the first technique capable of achieving single-molecule detection while intrinsically providing high-selectivity for identification of target molecules. This research has the potential to induce a major leap forward in sensor technology. If successful, this project will provide a proof of concept for the first label-free, binding-agent-free optical sensor with single-molecule sensitivity and high molecular specificity.Broader Impact: The high sensitivity sensors developed in this project would have a direct societal impact. Detection of trace quantities of chemicals such as explosives or bio-hazardous substances has crucial implications for national security or bio-medical research. These fields require sensors that have high-sensitivity and are sufficiently versatile to identify a wide range of molecules. These sensors would also have many implications in the fundamental study of molecular processes for bio-technology and bio-medical research. Additionally, this research program will train students from underrepresented groups in the field of engineering and will directly involve undergraduate students in state-of-the-art research projects and aim at attracting promising students toward graduate studies in the Engineering Sciences. The proposed research will also be fully integrated into an international PhD program with our collaborators at the University of Rennes in France. Graduates students will perform course work and research activities alternately in both institutes and will gain a double PhD diploma. This will train our student to face the challenges of functioning in an international setting and will uniquely prepare them for future carrier in which they are increasingly likely to be exposed to international collaborations.