Advanced Nanohybrid Composites and Photonic Materials for Multifunctional Opto-Chemical Sensors - APOSEMA

Project summary

The overarching goal of this M-era.Net project is the development, fabrication and application of (i) innovative nanofiber hybrid composite materials incorporating photonic (fluorescence & mid-infrared) and molecular (recognition & enrichment) functions integrated into a combined optical sensor platform for the development of rapidly responding photonic sensor devices, and of (ii) novel superlattice photonic materials based on the III/V material system (AlGaIn)/(AsSb) for the fabrication of interband cascade laser (ICL) gain media operating at room temperature in the mid-infrared wavelength range up to 6 µm. Among the most promising applications of advanced optical sensor systems is the non-invasive analysis of exhaled breath enabling disease detection, disease diagnosis, and therapy progression monitoring. To date, there is no sensor technology available that enables simultaneous continuous analysis of both volatile organic constituents (VOCs) and diatomic molecules with sufficient discriminatory power. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is present in approx. 10% of the total adult population and predicted to become the third most common cause of death and disability worldwide by 2020[1]. Atherosclerosis (AC) is the most frequent disease in the western world (prevalence of 25-30% in the population aged 45–75 years) and thus is the “no. 1 killer” in Germany accounting for 15% of deaths[2]. Here, we propose a highly innovative sensing platform taking advantage of novel coatings based on nanostructured hybrid composites, and of photonic materials providing the basis for novel laser technologies facilitating combined and miniaturized opto-chemical sensors, which simultaneously enable molecular enrichment, fluorescence sensing, and mid-infrared sensing for the real-time detection of O2, CO2, NO, and of volatile organic species (e.g. ethane, pentane, isoprene, carbondisulfide), which are considered relevant biomarkers for diagnosing COPD and AC in exhaled breath. Consequently, the focus of this project is the development, optimization, and application of innovative materials facilitating the proposed sensing functions, i.e., (i) polymer nanofiber composite materials with integrated noble metal nanoparticles and fluorophores coated into substrate-integrated hollow waveguide (iHWG) sensing structures for simultaneously providing molecular recognition/enrichment, fluorescence detection, surface enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA), and potentially surface plasmon coupled fluorescence emission (SPCE) functions, and (ii) superlattice structures as basis for active lasing material for advanced ICL technology providing monolithically integrated components within the Sb-containing materials for additional photonic functions such as wavelength filtering or beam conditioning. In summary, combining IR and fluorescence sensing schemes into a single device based on advanced photonic materials with integrated molecular recognition functionality along with novel photonic materials for tunable ICLs is a unique concept far beyond the current state-of-the-art, thereby facilitating advanced opto-chemical sensors for next-generation breath diagnostics. - - - [1] Buist AS, et al, (2007) International variation in the prevalence of COPD (the BOLD Study): a population-based prevalence study. Lancet 370:741-50. [2] Erbel R, et al, (2008) Cardiovascular risk factors and signs of subclinical atherosclerosis in the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study. Dtsch Ärztebl 105:1-8.