Hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications
Biological microlasers have positioned themselves as a potent tool for the detection and identification of biomolecules in the last decade. The key advantages of laser-based detection over fluorescence-based methods include signal amplification, tighter linewidth, and superior signal-to-noise ra...
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis-Doctor of Philosophy |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nanyang Technological University
2024
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/179454 |
| _version_ | 1811692294467747840 |
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| author | Gong, Xuerui |
| author2 | Y. C. Chen |
| author_facet | Y. C. Chen Gong, Xuerui |
| author_sort | Gong, Xuerui |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Biological microlasers have positioned themselves as a potent tool for the
detection and identification of biomolecules in the last decade. The key
advantages of laser-based detection over fluorescence-based methods
include signal amplification, tighter linewidth, and superior signal-to-noise
ratio, culminating in a remarkable increase in detection sensitivity. Moreover,
due to the nonlinearity of the signal at the lasing threshold, laser emission
can offer improved axial spatial resolution. The vast diversity in laser
parameters such as threshold, intensity, and transverse mode makes lasers
suitable candidates for anti-counterfeiting techniques. Despite of recent
progress in achieving lasing for molecular biosensing and anti-counterfeiting
labeling, the challenges in raw material fabrication and physical property
limitations often lead to micro-lasers that lack versatility and functionality in
real world applications. Therefore, this dissertation explores the potential of
using reconfigurable materials hydrogels to develop a platform that is
versatile and well-suited for both chemical sensing and physical anticounterfeiting.
For better understanding of this dissertation, we begin with a brief review with
the introduction of biological lasers and characteristics of hydrogels, then we
introduce the background of applications in biochemistry and security
techniques (Chapter 1 and Chapter 2). In Chapter 3 and 4, we successfully
developed a Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) hydrogel biological microlaser,
capable of detecting variations in molecular distances and differentiating
molecular sizes based on lasing threshold. The study also demonstrates the
microlaser's ability to encapsulate and analyze living organisms with superior
sensitivity compared to traditional fluorescence analysis. Moving to physical
applications in Chapter 5 and Chapter 6, we harnessed the inherent
properties of hydrogels to create tunable microlasers for anti-counterfeiting
purposes. Through enzyme-based reactions, the hydrogel's internal structure
15
and its corresponding lasing emission were manipulated, enabling a novel
approach for information encoding and encryption. Furthermore, the fusion of
Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) lasers and hydrogel's structural
randomness yielded a high-capacity optical encoding method, adding an
advanced layer of security against counterfeiting. These key findings of this
research underscores the immense potential and versatility of hydrogel
microlasers, bridging the fields of biophotonics and information security and
opening new avenues for future applications and investigations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T06:33:30Z |
| format | Thesis-Doctor of Philosophy |
| id | ntu-10356/179454 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T06:33:30Z |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publisher | Nanyang Technological University |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1794542024-09-04T07:56:36Z Hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications Gong, Xuerui Y. C. Chen School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering yucchen@ntu.edu.sg Physics Biological microlasers have positioned themselves as a potent tool for the detection and identification of biomolecules in the last decade. The key advantages of laser-based detection over fluorescence-based methods include signal amplification, tighter linewidth, and superior signal-to-noise ratio, culminating in a remarkable increase in detection sensitivity. Moreover, due to the nonlinearity of the signal at the lasing threshold, laser emission can offer improved axial spatial resolution. The vast diversity in laser parameters such as threshold, intensity, and transverse mode makes lasers suitable candidates for anti-counterfeiting techniques. Despite of recent progress in achieving lasing for molecular biosensing and anti-counterfeiting labeling, the challenges in raw material fabrication and physical property limitations often lead to micro-lasers that lack versatility and functionality in real world applications. Therefore, this dissertation explores the potential of using reconfigurable materials hydrogels to develop a platform that is versatile and well-suited for both chemical sensing and physical anticounterfeiting. For better understanding of this dissertation, we begin with a brief review with the introduction of biological lasers and characteristics of hydrogels, then we introduce the background of applications in biochemistry and security techniques (Chapter 1 and Chapter 2). In Chapter 3 and 4, we successfully developed a Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) hydrogel biological microlaser, capable of detecting variations in molecular distances and differentiating molecular sizes based on lasing threshold. The study also demonstrates the microlaser's ability to encapsulate and analyze living organisms with superior sensitivity compared to traditional fluorescence analysis. Moving to physical applications in Chapter 5 and Chapter 6, we harnessed the inherent properties of hydrogels to create tunable microlasers for anti-counterfeiting purposes. Through enzyme-based reactions, the hydrogel's internal structure 15 and its corresponding lasing emission were manipulated, enabling a novel approach for information encoding and encryption. Furthermore, the fusion of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) lasers and hydrogel's structural randomness yielded a high-capacity optical encoding method, adding an advanced layer of security against counterfeiting. These key findings of this research underscores the immense potential and versatility of hydrogel microlasers, bridging the fields of biophotonics and information security and opening new avenues for future applications and investigations. Doctor of Philosophy 2024-08-02T00:44:40Z 2024-08-02T00:44:40Z 2024 Thesis-Doctor of Philosophy Gong, X. (2024). Hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications. Doctoral thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/179454 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/179454 10.32657/10356/179454 en This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). application/pdf Nanyang Technological University |
| spellingShingle | Physics Gong, Xuerui Hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications |
| title | Hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications |
| title_full | Hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications |
| title_fullStr | Hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications |
| title_short | Hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications |
| title_sort | hydrogel microlaser on chip for biomedical and physical applications |
| topic | Physics |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/179454 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gongxuerui hydrogelmicrolaseronchipforbiomedicalandphysicalapplications |