Low-Concentration Biological Sample Detection Using an Asymmetric Split Resonator Terahertz Metamaterial

Abstract

A simple and efficient THz metamaterial based on an asymmetric double split square array resonator was designed and fabricated. The sensitivity and Q value of the metamaterial sensor were theoretically analyzed to be 278 GHz/RIU and 11, respectively. Three typical biological samples with different concentrations were measured to validate the sensitivity of the THz metamaterial. For the bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein solution, the lowest detectable concentration (LDC) can reach to 1 μM, which is comparable to most recent reports. For the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, the LDC is 1 × 103 cells/mL, and for the K-citrate solution, the LDC is 0.1 mM. Our studies indicate that the THz metamaterial may be effectively applied in the low-concentration detection of biological samples.

Keywords

• terahertz spectroscopy
• metamaterial
• potassium citrate
• lowest detectable concentration
• bovine serum albumin
• Staphylococcus aureus