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Imec makes photonics biosensors for Genalyte
Nicolas Mokhoff
1/24/2012 2:59 PM EST
MANHASSET, NY -- Imec and Genalyte have developed and produced a set of disposable silicon photonics biosensor chips to be used in Genalyte diagnostic and molecular detection equipment.
The chips combine standard silicon photonic waveguide devices from research consortium imec with bio-compatible modifications jointly developed by imec and Genalyte.
The detection system has a proprietary consumable containing an array of “microring” sensors and reads proteins binding to the sensor in real-time.
Each of the 1 to128 individually addressable microring sensors is designed to trap and circulate light around the perimeter of a device, and is placed adjacent to a linear waveguide that directs light from a laser, past the ring-resonator and on to a photodetector.
When the laser is tuned to the correct wavelength, the ring sensor removes all of the light from the waveguide, producing a “notch” in the wavelength spectrum received at the photodetector. Since the magnitude of this wavelength shift is directly proportional to the amount of material captured, accurate quantification of target species can be performed.
The newly developed Si-photonics biosensor chips were realized at imec. A bio-compatible passivation technology was developed on 200mm wafers, the chips were tested in the field, and proven to meet Genalyte’s functional requirements with high yields.
Imec’s silicon photonics platform is part of its CMORE initiative, which has imec offer companies all the services needed to turn innovative ideas into smart packaged microsystem products.
The chips combine standard silicon photonic waveguide devices from research consortium imec with bio-compatible modifications jointly developed by imec and Genalyte.
The detection system has a proprietary consumable containing an array of “microring” sensors and reads proteins binding to the sensor in real-time.
Each of the 1 to128 individually addressable microring sensors is designed to trap and circulate light around the perimeter of a device, and is placed adjacent to a linear waveguide that directs light from a laser, past the ring-resonator and on to a photodetector.
When the laser is tuned to the correct wavelength, the ring sensor removes all of the light from the waveguide, producing a “notch” in the wavelength spectrum received at the photodetector. Since the magnitude of this wavelength shift is directly proportional to the amount of material captured, accurate quantification of target species can be performed.
The newly developed Si-photonics biosensor chips were realized at imec. A bio-compatible passivation technology was developed on 200mm wafers, the chips were tested in the field, and proven to meet Genalyte’s functional requirements with high yields.
Imec’s silicon photonics platform is part of its CMORE initiative, which has imec offer companies all the services needed to turn innovative ideas into smart packaged microsystem products.
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