Biosensing platform with tapered optical microfibers: new results

Our research demonstrates the design and fabrication of a biosensor based on the tapered optical fiber. The fiber is tapered biconically to a diameter of approximately 7 μm, which allows the evanescent field of propagating light to interact with molecules attached to the tapered surface. This sensing platform is capable of fast, continuous, specific, sensitive, and label-free molecular detection in the aqueous phase. Detection is demonstrated across multiple fibers, and the individual fibers are reusable. The system described previously has been modified for detection of volatile organic compounds. The fabrication of the modified design is also shown with preliminary results.