Organic semiconductor laser biosensor : design and performance discussion

Haughey, Anne-Marie and McConnell, Glenn and Guilhabert, Benoit and Burley, Glenn A. and Dawson, Martin D. and Laurand, Nicolas (2016) Organic semiconductor laser biosensor : design and performance discussion. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, 22 (1). 1300109. ISSN 1077-260X (https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTQE.2015.2448058)

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Abstract

Organic distributed feedback lasers can detect nanoscale materials and are therefore an attractive sens- ing platform for biological and medical applications. In this paper, we present a model for optimizing such laser sensors and discuss the advantages of using an organic semiconductor as the laser material in comparison to dyes in a matrix. The structure of the sensor and its operation principle are described. Bulk and surface sensing exper- imental data using oligofluorene truxene macromolecules and a conjugated polymer for the gain region is shown to correspond to modeled values and is used to assess the biosensing attributes of the sensor. A comparison between organic semiconductor and dye-doped laser sensitivity is made and analyzed theoretically. Finally, experimental and theoretical specific biosensing data is provided and methods for improving sensitivity are discussed.