UV Fluorescence Sensing of Medical-Chemical-and- Biological Analytes by an AlGaN/Si-on-Sapphire Optoelectronic Chip

Abstract

This paper proposes and analyzes a compact fluorescence-photometer lab-on-a-chip that is simpler than a fluorescence spectrometer, and that does not require spectrum reconstruction by a computer. An on-chip AlGaN VCSEL lasing at 280 nm, or at 310 nm, pumps an on-chip sample in the form of liquid or solid or tissue, thereby exciting signature fluorescence in the 300 to 540 nm wavelength range. This emission signal is detected and read out by an on-chip UV-enhanced Silicon photodiode. The 2 cm x 5 cm chip consists of C-plane (0001) Sapphire, and no lenses, prisms, or mirrors are utilized in the photometer. The chip is opto-electronic and features co-packaged electronics using tiny electronic chiplets that are bonded to the sapphire. These consist of an LD driver and transimpedance amplifier for the UV photonics, together with ASICs, ADC, microcontroller, micro-battery and RF-wireless or Ethernet chiplets. The mission of this self-contained cost-effective chip is sensing targeted medical-chemical-biological (MCB) agents in a local or network setting. Eight significant MCB applications are detailed here.