Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for non-invasive measuring of analytes. At least one embodiment relates to a wearable system for non-invasive measuring of a concentration of an analyte in skin tissue. The wearable system includes an integrated circuit that includes a first optical unit. The first optical unit includes a Raman spectrometer. The first optical unit also includes an OCT spectrometer and an interferometer optically coupled to the OCT spectrometer or an infrared (IR) spectrometer. The first optical unit additionally includes a light coupler. The wearable system further includes a first light source for performing Raman spectroscopy. The wearable system additionally includes a second light source for performing OCT spectroscopy or IR spectroscopy. Still further, the wearable system includes read-out electronics to determine an optical model of the skin tissue based on the spectroscopic data and to determine the concentration of the analyte.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor devices for detecting fluorescent particles. At least one embodiment relates to an integrated semiconductor device for detecting fluorescent tags. The device includes a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, a fourth layer, and a fifth layer. The first layer includes a detector element. The second layer includes a rejection filter. The third layer is fabricated from dielectric material. The fourth layer is an optical waveguide configured and positioned such that a top surface of the fourth layer is illuminated with an evanescent tail of excitation light guided by the optical waveguide when the fluorescent tags are present. The fifth layer includes a microfluidic channel. The optical waveguide is configured and positioned such that the microfluidic channel is illuminated with the evanescent tail. The detector element is positioned such that light from activated fluorescent tags can be received.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to structures, systems, and methods for characterizing one or more fluorescent particles. At least one embodiment relates to an integrated waveguide structure. The integrated waveguide structure includes a substrate. The integrated waveguide structure also includes a waveguide layer arranged on top of the substrate. The waveguide layer includes one or more excitation waveguides, one or more emission waveguides, and a particle radiation coupler, which includes a resonator element. In addition, the integrated waveguide structure includes one or more sensing sites configured with respect to the one or more excitation waveguides and the one or more emission waveguides such that a fluorescent particle at one of the sensing sites is activated by an excitation radiation transmitted via the one or more excitation waveguides and radiation emitted by the fluorescent particle is coupled into at least one of the emission waveguides by the particle radiation coupler.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and sensors configured to characterize a radiation beam. At least one embodiment relates to an optical system. The optical system includes an optical radiation guiding system. The optical radiation guiding system includes a collimator configured to collimate the radiation beam into a collimated radiation beam. The optical radiation guiding system also includes a beam shaper configured to distribute power of the collimated radiation beam over a discrete number of line shaped fields. A spectrum of the collimated radiation beam entering the beam shaper is delivered to each of the discrete number of line shaped fields. The optical system further includes a spectrometer chip. The spectrometer chip is configured to process the spectrum of the collimated radiation beam in each of the discrete number of line shaped fields coming from the beam shaper.

Abstract: A resonator structure is disclosed. In some embodiments, the resonator structure may include a metal-insulator-metal waveguide comprising a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and an insulating layer between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, wherein the insulating layer comprises a resonating cavity. The resonator structure may further include a mirror formed in the resonating cavity, wherein the mirror comprises at least one nanoscale metallic reflector positioned at least partly in the insulating layer.

Abstract: An integrated fluorescence detector for detecting fluorescent particles is described. An example integrated fluorescence detector comprises a substrate, the substrate comprising an integrated detection element for detecting fluorescence radiation from fluorescent particles upon excitation of the particles with incident excitation radiation. The integrated fluorescence detector also comprises a sensing layer adapted for accommodating fluorescent particles to be sensed. The integrated fluorescence detector further comprises a photonics crystal layer arranged in between the sensing layer and the substrate, the photonics crystal layer comprising an absorption material designed such that the photonics crystal layer is configured for diffracting incident excitation radiation into a lateral direction in which the photonics crystal layer extends for incident excitation radiation having a wavelength within at least 10 nm of the predetermined excitation wavelength.

Abstract: A method for measuring a concentration of a biogenic substance in a living body includes steps of: preparing an apparatus including a light source, a substrate which has periodic metal structures and generates surface enhanced Raman scattering light by being irradiated with light from the light source, and spectroscopic means which disperses and detects the light, wherein the periodic metal structure is arranged with first and second distances in first and second direction respectively, the first distance is set to generate surface plasmon by matching a phase of the light from the light source, and the second distance is smaller than the first distance and is set between 300 nm and 350 nm; irradiating the substrate with the light from the light source to generate the surface enhanced Raman scattering; detecting the scattering with the spectroscopic means; and calculating the concentration of the biogenic substance based on the scattering.

Abstract: An integrated fluorescence detector for detecting fluorescent particles is described. An example integrated fluorescence detector comprises a substrate, the substrate comprising an integrated detection element for detecting fluorescence radiation from fluorescent particles upon excitation of the particles with incident excitation radiation. The integrated fluorescence detector also comprises a sensing layer adapted for accommodating fluorescent particles to be sensed. The integrated fluorescence detector further comprises a photonics crystal layer arranged in between the sensing layer and the substrate, the photonics crystal layer comprising an absorption material designed such that the photonics crystal layer is configured for diffracting incident excitation radiation into a lateral direction in which the photonics crystal layer extends for incident excitation radiation having a wavelength within at least 10 nm of the predetermined excitation wavelength.

Abstract: A micro-fluidic device for mapping a DNA or RNA strand labeled at a plurality of specific sites with labels suitable for generating a detection signal when interacting with a detector element, the device comprising: a micro-fluidic channel; and a plurality of detector elements for detecting the labels by acquiring the detection signals, the detector elements being positioned longitudinally along the micro-fluidic channel, each detector element having a width, successive detector elements being separated by an inter-detector gap having a width, wherein the widths of at least two of the detector elements are different and/or wherein the widths at least two of the inter-detector gaps are different.

Abstract: A method involving ion milling is demonstrated to fabricate open-nanoshell suspensions and open-nanoshell monolayer structures. Ion milling technology allows the open-nanoshell geometry and upward orientation on substrates to be controlled. Substrates can be fabricated covered with stable and dense open-nanoshell monolayer structures, showing nanoaperture and nanotip geometry with upward orientation, that can be used as substrates for SERS-based biomolecule detection.

Abstract: A system for assisting in spectrally characterizing or detecting a sample using radiation at a predetermined wavelength or in a predetermined wavelength range is disclosed. In one aspect, the system includes a substrate having a nanopore for excitation of plasmons. The nanopore provides a window through the substrate, wherein a smallest window opening of the window has an average length (L) and an average width (W) both being substantially smaller than 2 ?m. The nanopore supports highly confined surface plasmon polaritons and at specific wavelengths resonances are observed, when the conditions for a standing wave are fulfilled. This leads to strong field enhancements and enables single molecule spectroscopy.

Abstract: A substrate is described that is suitable for surface enhanced optical detection. The substrate comprises an electrically conductive layer The substrate further comprises at least one nanoparticle comprising an electrically conductive portion. The electrically conductive portion may provide an opening to an underlying material. Such at least one nanoparticles may be a nanoring, a nanodisc, or a non-spherical nanoshell. The substrate further comprises a dielectric spacer for spacing the electrically conductive layer from the at least one nanoparticles. The dielectric spacer is a dielectric material substantially only present under the at least one nanoparticle, leaving the electrically conductive layer uncovered from dielectric material at positions away from the nanoparticles. The at least one nanoparticle and the dielectric spacer are interfaced along a first major surface and the at least one nanoparticle comprises an upstanding surface not in line with an upstanding surface of the dielectric spacer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus in the field of single molecule sensing are described, e.g. for molecular analysis of analytes such as molecular analytes, e.g. nucleic acids, proteins, polypeptides, peptides, lipids and polysaccharides. Molecular spectroscopy on a molecule translocating through a solid-state nanopore is described. Optical spectroscopic signals are enhanced by plasmonic field-confinement and antenna effects and probed in transmission by plasmon-enabled transmission of light through an optical channel that overlaps with the physical channel.

Abstract: A method for forming a nanostructure penetrating a layer and the device made thereof is disclosed. In one aspect, the device has a substrate, a layer present thereon, and a nanostructure penetrating the layer. The nanostructure defines a nanoscale passageway through which a molecule to be analyzed can pass through. The nanostructure has, in cross-sectional view, a substantially triangular shape. This shape is particularly achieved by growth of an epitaxial layer having crystal facets defining tilted sidewalls of the nanostructure. It is highly suitably for use for optical characterization of molecular structure, particularly with surface plasmon enhanced transmission spectroscopy.

Abstract: A method for forming a nanostructure penetrating a layer and the device made thereof is disclosed. In one aspect, the device has a substrate, a layer present thereon, and a nanostructure penetrating the layer. The nanostructure defines a nanoscale passageway through which a molecule to be analyzed can pass through. The nanostructure has, in cross-sectional view, a substantially triangular shape. This shape is particularly achieved by growth of an epitaxial layer having crystal facets defining tilted sidewalls of the nanostructure. It is highly suitably for use for optical characterization of molecular structure, particularly with surface plasmon enhanced transmission spectroscopy.

Abstract: A method involving ion milling is demonstrated to fabricate open-nanoshell suspensions and open-nanoshell monolayer structures. Ion milling technology allows the open-nanoshell geometry and upward orientation on substrates to be controlled. Substrates can be fabricated covered with stable and dense open-nanoshell monolayer structures, showing nanoaperture and nanotip geometry with upward orientation, that can be used as substrates for SERS-based biomolecule detection.

Abstract: A substrate is described that is suitable for surface enhanced optical detection. The substrate comprises an electrically conductive layer (110), such as for example a gold layer. It furthermore comprises at least one nanoparticle (1404) comprising an electrically conductive portion. The electrically conductive portion in some embodiments provides an opening to an underlying material. Such at least one nanoparticles (1404) thus may for example be a nanoring, a nanodisc, or a non-spherical nanoshell. The substrate furthermore comprises a dielectric spacer (1406) for spacing the electrically conductive layer from the at least one nanoparticles. The dielectric spacer (1406) is a dielectric material substantially only present under the at least one nanoparticle (1404), leaving the electrically conductive layer (110) uncovered from dielectric material at positions away from the nanoparticles (1404).

Abstract: A resonator structure is disclosed. In some embodiments, the resonator structure may include a metal-insulator-metal waveguide comprising a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and an insulating layer between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, wherein the insulating layer comprises a resonating cavity. The resonator structure may further include a mirror formed in the resonating cavity, wherein the mirror comprises at least one nanoscale metallic reflector positioned at least partly in the insulating layer.

Abstract: A system (100) is described for characterizing and/or manipulating molecules. The system may especially be suitable for biological molecules, although the invention is not limited thereto. The system (100) comprises a substrate (110) comprising a nanostructure (120) being suitable for translocation of molecules through the nanostructure (120). It furthermore comprises a means (210) for translocating molecules through the nanostructure (120) and a plasmonic force field generating means (130) adapted for influencing the translocation speed of the particle by applying a plasmonic force field at the nanostructure (120). A corresponding method also is described.

Abstract: A system for assisting in spectrally characterizing or detecting a sample using radiation at a predetermined wavelength or in a predetermined wavelength range is disclosed. In one aspect, the system includes a substrate having a nanopore for excitation of plasmons. The nanopore provides a window through the substrate, wherein a smallest window opening of the window has an average length (L) and an average width (W) both being substantially smaller than 2 ?m. The nanopore supports highly confined surface plasmon polaritons and at specific wavelengths resonances are observed, when the conditions for a standing wave are fulfilled. This leads to strong field enhancements and enables single molecule spectroscopy.