Selective sensing of harmful molecules with light

Bloch surface waves (BSW) are light waves that travel on the surface of insulating -- or "dielectric" -- materials, such as glass. Researchers are testing the use of dielectric materials, instead of the metals typically used for the surfaces of SPR devices, to develop BSW devices. By doing so, they are detecting even smaller changes in the material's refractive index.

"Bloch surface waves can be used for a variety of sensing applications," says Corbett. "This research has taken place mainly in the last ten years with demonstrations in sensing vapours, various biomarkers, and protein aggregation, for example. They can also be potentially used as a platform for compact integrated optical circuits," he says. Corbett expects BSW devices to become commercially available in the coming few years.

Corbett and Khan designed a simple BSW sensor, employing silicon as its surface material, which they believe has practical advantages due to the ease with which it delivers and detects light waves.

"The research shows that surface waves can be easily generated and they provide a sensitive measure to detect the binding of a material at a surface," says Corbett. "The sensor surface is simple and easy to fabricate with sensitivities comparable and better than SPR sensors. These sensors can provide real-time sensing and may be a way to screen for the presence of biomarkers for different diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease, at the doctor's surgery."

The sensors still need to be tested for their durability in real environments, says Corbett. The team's aim is to develop an on-chip sensing platform with high sensitivity that can ultimately be used in bench top or even smartphone-based devices, he says, with potential application in water quality monitoring.