Title :
A microcantilever sensor with integrated optical readout for antimicrobial drug discovery
Author :
Koev, S.T. ; Fernandes, R. ; Bentley, W.E. ; Ghodssi, R.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
Abstract :
We present the first microcantilever sensor with integrated optical readout capable of detecting liquid samples. The measurement of beam displacement is performed through on-chip waveguides using an external laser and a photodetector. This approach yields ap 0.4% change in power per nanometer displacement. The device is embedded in microfluidics and is used for detecting the amino acid homocysteine common in bacterial signaling pathways. It is aimed at providing a testing platform for new drugs that target bacterial communications. The minimal measurable cantilever displacement and surface stress are 5 nm are 1.3 mN/m respectively. The lowest homocysteine concentration detected with the sensor is 10 muM.
Keywords :
antibacterial activity; bioMEMS; cantilevers; displacement measurement; drugs; integrated optics; microfluidics; microorganisms; microsensors; optical waveguides; photodetectors; amino acid homocysteine concentration detection; antimicrobial drug discovery; bacterial signaling pathways; beam displacement measurement; external laser; integrated optical readout; liquid sample detection; microcantilever sensor; microfluidics; on-chip waveguide; photodetector; target bacterial communication; Displacement measurement; Drugs; Integrated optics; Laser beams; Microorganisms; Optical sensors; Optical waveguides; Performance evaluation; Photodetectors; Waveguide lasers; Microcantilever; bacteria; homocysteine; quorum; waveguide;
Conference_Titel :
Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Conference, 2009. TRANSDUCERS 2009. International
Conference_Location :
Denver, CO
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-4190-7
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4244-4193-8
DOI :
10.1109/SENSOR.2009.5285425