Negative Curvature THz Fiber based Biosensor Design and Fabrication for Analysis of Blood Constituents

Education Level

Undergraduate

Faculty Advisor(s)

Professor Ahmet Akosman

Academic Department(s)

Engineering, Computing and Construction Management

Comments

This research was presented at the 2024 Rhode Island Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium, held on Friday, July 26, at the University of Rhode Island and supported by RI-INBRE.

Symposium Date

2024

Abstract

Terahertz (THz) radiation has recently gained significant attention owing to its potential in sensing, detection, and communications applications. The unique interactions of THz signals with materials, particularly their strong absorption by water, have sparked interest in employing THz technology for cancer detection and biosensing applications. Among recent advancements, hollow-core negative curvature fiber topologies have emerged as a promising candidate for low-loss electromagnetic wave transmission and refractive-index-based sensing. This study aims to explore unique fiber geometries for optimized total loss and sensitivity, enabling improved broadband THz biosensing capabilities. Utilizing a finite element method based electromagnetic solver, comprehensive numerical analyses were executed to design and evaluate performance of elliptical and circular 5-tube negative curvature fiber geometries tailored for THz radiation. Fiber parameters including the core diameter, ring diameter, and cladding thickness were swept to determine the optimal geometry for achieving the lowest total loss. To assess refractive-index-based sensing, individual blood constituents were introduced into the fiber core region. Blood components including water, plasma, hemoglobin, RBCs, and WBCs were numerically examined as fiber core analytes. Uniform relative sensitivities exceeding 90% for all blood constituents are achieved for a broadband frequency interval of 0.5 to 2 THz centered at the targeted frequency of 1 THz. To evaluate the feasibility of fabricating these hollow core fiber designs, they were manufactured using an SLA Resin 3D Printer. Various printing parameters were optimized to create consistent prints. Image analysis software was used to determine what printing parameters resulted in the minimum wall thickness deviation within a print. In conclusion, unique fiber designs were developed to investigate their biosensing potential in blood constituents through THz radiation. The findings of this study pave the way for advancements in THz biosensing technology.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS