1
|
Rhie J, Lee D, Kim T, Kim S, Seo M, Kim DS, Bahk YM. Optical Tweezing Terahertz Probing for a Single Metal Nanoparticle. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:6753-6760. [PMID: 38708988 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Recently, extensive research has been reported on the detection of metal nanoparticles using terahertz waves, due to their potential for efficient and nondestructive detection of chemical and biological samples without labeling. Resonant terahertz nanoantennas can be used to detect a small amount of molecules whose vibrational modes are in the terahertz frequency range with high sensitivity. However, the positioning of target molecules is critical to obtaining a reasonable signal because the field distribution is inhomogeneous over the antenna structure. Here, we combine an optical tweezing technique and terahertz spectroscopy based on nanoplasmonics, resulting in extensive controllable tweezing and sensitive detection at the same time. We observed optical tweezing of a gold nanoparticle and detected it with terahertz waves by using a single bowtie nanoantenna. Furthermore, the calculations confirm that molecular fingerprinting is possible by using our technique. This study will be a prestep of biomolecular detection using gold nanoparticles in terahertz spectroscopy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiyeah Rhie
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dukhyung Lee
- Department of Physics and Quantum Photonics Institute, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Taehoon Kim
- Department of Physics, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Seonghun Kim
- Department of Physics, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Minah Seo
- Sensor System Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Dai-Sik Kim
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
- Department of Physics and Quantum Photonics Institute, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mi Bahk
- Department of Physics, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yang H, Ji G, Choi M, Park S, An H, Lee HT, Jeong J, Park YD, Kim K, Park N, Jeong J, Kim DS, Park HR. Suppressed terahertz dynamics of water confined in nanometer gaps. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm7315. [PMID: 38657066 PMCID: PMC11042745 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm7315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Nanoconfined waters exhibit low static permittivity mainly due to interfacial effects that span about one nanometer. The characteristic length scale may be much longer in the terahertz (THz) regime where long-range collective dynamics occur; however, the THz dynamics have been largely unexplored because of the lack of a robust platform. Here, we use metallic loop nanogaps to sharply enhance light-matter interactions and precisely measure real and imaginary THz refractive indices of nanoconfined water at gap widths ranging from 2 to 20 nanometers, spanning mostly interfacial waters all the way to quasi-bulk waters. We find that, in addition to the well-known interfacial effect, the confinement effect also contributes substantially to the decrease in the complex refractive indices of the nanoconfined water by cutting off low-energy vibrational modes, even at gap widths as large as 10 nanometers. Our findings provide valuable insights into the collective dynamics of water molecules which is crucial to understanding water-mediated processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyosim Yang
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Gangseon Ji
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Seondo Park
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeonjun An
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoung-Taek Lee
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Joonwoo Jeong
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Daniel Park
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungwan Kim
- Department of Physics, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Noejung Park
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeeyoon Jeong
- Department of Physics and Institute for Quantum Convergence Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Dai-Sik Kim
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeong-Ryeol Park
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen J, Hu F, Lin S, Song Z, Duan Z, Zhang L, Jiang M. Hybridization chain reaction assisted terahertz metamaterial biosensor for highly sensitive detection of microRNAs. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 307:123646. [PMID: 37980831 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA) is closely related to the occurrence and development of cancer. Accurate determination of the miRNA concentration is of great significance for early cancer diagnosis. However, due to the short sequence and low concentration of miRNA, it is still a challenge to achieve low-concentration detection. In this work, we proposed a method for the highly sensitive detection of miRNA-21 using a terahertz (THz) metamaterial sensor combined with a Hybridization chain reaction (HCR). First, a capture hairpin probe was combined with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which were then modified to the surface of the sensor for specific binding of miRNA-21. Then the signal amplification technique of HCR is used to amplify the trace amount of miRNA, and the super-long dendritic DNA macromolecules are formed on the surface of the sensor. This changes the dielectric environment of the sensor surface, and the resonance frequency of the sensor is shifted. The method has good specificity and sensitivity, and the concentration of miRNA-21 in the range of 100 aM to 10 nM shows excellent linear relationship with frequency shift. Most importantly, it paves the way for low-cost, easy-to-operate and marker-free miRNA detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chen
- College of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Fangrong Hu
- College of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China.
| | - Shangjun Lin
- College of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Zihang Song
- College of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Zhitao Duan
- College of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Longhui Zhang
- College of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China.
| | - Mingzhu Jiang
- College of Electronic Engineering and Automation, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lee HT, Kim J, Lee JS, Yoon M, Park HR. More Than 30 000-fold Field Enhancement of Terahertz Nanoresonators Enabled by Rapid Inverse Design. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:11685-11692. [PMID: 38060838 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
The rapid development of 6G communications using terahertz (THz) electromagnetic waves has created a demand for highly sensitive THz nanoresonators capable of detecting these waves. Among the potential candidates, THz nanogap loop arrays show promising characteristics but require significant computational resources for accurate simulation. This requirement arises because their unit cells are 10 times smaller than millimeter wavelengths, with nanogap regions that are 1 000 000 times smaller. To address this challenge, we propose a rapid inverse design method using physics-informed machine learning, employing double deep Q-learning with an analytical model of the THz nanogap loop array. In ∼39 h on a middle-level personal computer, our approach identifies the optimal structure through 200 000 iterations, achieving an experimental electric field enhancement of 32 000 at 0.2 THz, 300% stronger than prior results. Our analytical model-based approach significantly reduces the amount of computational resources required, offering a practical alternative to numerical simulation-based inverse design for THz nanodevices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyoung-Taek Lee
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| | - Jeonghoon Kim
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| | - Joon Sue Lee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Mina Yoon
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Hyeong-Ryeol Park
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Park D, Lee D, Moghaddam MH, Kim DS. Trench Formation under the Tunable Nanogap: Its Depth Depends on Maximum Strain and Periodicity. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1991. [PMID: 38004848 PMCID: PMC10673380 DOI: 10.3390/mi14111991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Metallic nanogaps have been studied for many years in the context of a significant amount of field enhancements. Nanogaps of macroscopic lengths for long-wave applications have attracted much interest, and recently one dimensional tunable nanogaps have been demonstrated using flexible PET substrates. For nanogaps on flexible substrates with applied tensile strain, large stress is expected in the vicinity of the gap, and it has been confirmed that several hundred nanometer-deep trenches form beneath the position of the nanogap because of this stress singularity. Here, we studied trench formation under nanogap structures using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1. We constructed a 2D nanogap unit cell, consisting of gold film with a crack on a PDMS substrate containing a trench beneath the crack. Then, we calculated the von Mises stress at the bottom of the trench for various depths and spatial periods. Based on it, we derived the dependence of the trench depth on the strain and periodicity for various yield strengths. It was revealed that as the maximum tensile strain increases, the trench deepens and then diverges. Moreover, longer periods lead to larger depths for the given maximum strain and larger gap widths. These results could be applied to roughly estimate achievable gap widths and trench depths for stretchable zerogap devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dai-Sik Kim
- Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea; (D.P.); (D.L.); (M.H.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang Q, Chen Y, Mao J, Yang F, Wang N. Metasurface-Assisted Terahertz Sensing. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:5902. [PMID: 37447747 DOI: 10.3390/s23135902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Terahertz (THz) waves, which fall between microwaves and infrared bands, possess intriguing electromagnetic properties of non-ionizing radiation, low photon energy, being highly sensitive to weak resonances, and non-polar material penetrability. Therefore, THz waves are extremely suitable for sensing and detecting chemical, pharmaceutical, and biological molecules. However, the relatively long wavelength of THz waves (30~3000 μm) compared to the size of analytes (1~100 nm for biomolecules, <10 μm for microorganisms) constrains the development of THz-based sensors. To circumvent this problem, metasurface technology, by engineering subwavelength periodic resonators, has gained a great deal of attention to enhance the resonance response of THz waves. Those metasurface-based THz sensors exhibit high sensitivity for label-free sensing, making them appealing for a variety of applications in security, medical applications, and detection. The performance of metasurface-based THz sensors is controlled by geometric structure and material parameters. The operating mechanism is divided into two main categories, passive and active. To have a profound understanding of these metasurface-assisted THz sensing technologies, we review and categorize those THz sensors, based on their operating mechanisms, including resonators for frequency shift sensing, nanogaps for enhanced field confinement, chirality for handedness detection, and active elements (such as graphene and MEMS) for advanced tunable sensing. This comprehensive review can serve as a guideline for future metasurfaces design to assist THz sensing and detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- School of Microelectronics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200000, China
| | - Yuzi Chen
- School of Microelectronics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200000, China
| | - Jinxian Mao
- School of Microelectronics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200000, China
| | - Fengyuan Yang
- School of Microelectronics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200000, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chips and Systems for Intelligent Connected Vehicle, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200000, China
| | - Nan Wang
- School of Microelectronics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200000, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chips and Systems for Intelligent Connected Vehicle, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200000, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kim HS, Jun SW, Ahn YH. Developing a Novel Terahertz Fabry-Perot Microcavity Biosensor by Incorporating Porous Film for Yeast Sensing. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:5797. [PMID: 37447646 DOI: 10.3390/s23135797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
We present a novel terahertz (THz) Fabry-Perot (FP) microcavity biosensor that uses a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) supporting film to improve microorganism detection. The THz FP microcavity confines and enhances fields in the middle of the cavity, where the target microbial film is placed with the aid of a PTFE film having a dielectric constant close to unity in the THz range. The resonant frequency shift increased linearly with increasing amount of yeasts, without showing saturation behavior under our experimental conditions. These results agree well with finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. The sensor's sensitivity was 11.7 GHz/μm, close to the optimal condition of 12.5 GHz/μm, when yeast was placed at the cavity's center, but no frequency shift was observed when the yeast was coated on the mirror side. We derived an explicit relation for the frequency shift as a function of the index, amount, and location of the substances that is consistent with the electric field distribution across the cavity. We also produced THz transmission images of yeast-coated PTFE, mapping the frequency shift of the FP resonance and revealing the spatial distribution of yeast.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hwan Sik Kim
- Department of Physics and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Won Jun
- Department of Physics and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeong Hwan Ahn
- Department of Physics and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|