Large core polymer optical backplanes for fluorescence detection

Abstract

Fluorescence based sensors are used for determining environmental parameters such as dissolved oxygen or pH in biological systems without disturbing a biological system's equilibrium. Recently, there has been a drive to provide biological analysis tools in a compact form, resulting in arrays of miniature devices which can perform multiple functions in parallel such as bacteria cultures or DNA analysis. As these new types of chips become more integrated and parallel, the amount of sensors required for them increases. As more sensors are added, off chip components such as photodetectors, LEDs, and fibers also begin to scale linearly. In an effort to simplify and integrate the detection side of these systems, a platform is being developed which utilizes the same polymer materials used for biochips to create optical components. By combining elements such as waveguides and mirror couplers, arrays of small devices capable of out-of-plane detection are possible, decoupling the biochip design from the transducer design while still maintaining compact integrated functionality.