Nanophotonics (Sep 2023)

Wavelength multiplexing infrared metasurfaces for protein recognition and trace detection

  • Dong Shiqing,
  • Dong Chao,
  • Shen Kesheng,
  • Zheng Yun,
  • Sun Jie,
  • Zhen Cheng,
  • Hu Haiyang,
  • Zhang Feng,
  • Zhang Zhe,
  • Liu Hongchao,
  • Lu Hai

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2023-0517
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 20
pp. 3963 – 3976

Abstract

Read online

Infrared metasurfaces have exhibited exceptional optical properties that differ from naturally occurring metallic and dielectric nanostructure, enabling non-destructive and label-free sensing in a broadband region. However, implementing wavelength multiplexing sensors in broadband infrared has faced significant challenges. These challenges arise from the difficulty in efficiently exciting high Q resonances at specific wavelengths and the inability to individually tune each resonance. Herein, we present a dual resonant metasurface that utilizes a metal–dielectric–metal plasmonic grating and a dielectric–metal channel. By adjusting the vertical and horizontal structures of metasurface, we can independently modify the spectrum of the metasurface in the near-infrared and mid-infrared regions. This broadband infrared metasurface exhibits robust spectral regulation, enabling a polarization-dependent strategy for the dual-resonance. It offers a competitive advantage over traditional metallic nanostructure in refractive index sensing at the second near-infrared window and ultrasensitive vibrational spectroscopy in mid-infrared. Specifically, our proposed metasurface achieves protein concentration sensing and dynamic monitoring of protein concentration in the infrared two-zone. Additionally, it enhances the mid-infrared absorption of amide II with a high Q resonance. The metasurface which combines wavelength multiplexing and polarization dependent switch for protein recognition and trace detection, presents a novel approach for developing high-performance sensors and Integrated photonics sensors in the broadband infrared region.

Keywords