Microdisk lasers for high-sensitive protein detection in microfluidic devices

Kryzhanovskaya N., Максимов М. В., Zhukov A.

Lasers based on semiconductor whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators represent a perfect platform for active small
footprint high-sensitive devices for biodetection. Biochemical samples typically require aqueous solution, and the
resonator should be placed into a cuvette with water or in a microfluidic chip. The characteristics of modern
semiconductor WGM lasers with an active region based on InAs/InGaAs quantum dots (QDs) make them promising for
creating compact highly sensitive devices for biodetection. Deep localization of carriers in InAs/InGaAs QDs and
suppressed lateral migration helps us to obtain room-temperature lasing in microdisk lasers immersed in an aqueous
medium. In this work, we studied the sensitivity of the microdisk laser resonance spectral position to the refractive index
of the surrounding material by changing the salinity of the water solution. We also successfully detected model proteins
(secondary antibodies attached to the microdisk surface) via measurement of the lasing threshold power. The proteinprotein
interaction on the microdisk surface manifests itself by an increase in the laser threshold power. Thus, in this
work we demonstrated, for the first time, the possibility of using QD semiconductor microdisk lasers for detection of
proteins in a microfluidic device.

Keywords: microdisk laser, biosensor

Publication based on the results of: Optoelectronic devices for optical interconnects and optical on-chip systems based on semiconductor nanomaterials (2020)

In book

SPIE PHOTONICS EUROPE 2020 Biophotonics in Point-of-Care

Kryzhanovskaya N., Moiseev E., Максимов М. В., Zhukov A. Vol. 11361: Biophotonics in Point-of-Care. , Bellingham: SPIE, 2020.