EAGER: Developing Optical Forces to Advance Separations in Biosensing

This project will develop a new technology to separate and detect specific molecules, particles and biomarkers in solution. Unlike conventional methods that rely on chemical affinity, this new method will use optical forces to separate and detect constituents in solution as the solution flows through a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device will have an engineered surface that can manipulate light and control its characteristics at the nanoscale to generate a force on molecules or particles and separate them in the flow. The device will enable precise, rapid, scalable, and cost-effective detection and separation methods for applications in healthcare and environmental monitoring. Broader impacts include advancing education through the development of interactive tools like the “HoloNano” holographic app, which will enhance public and student understanding of nanoscale photonic interactions. The project will design and fabricate a photonic metasurface integrated with a microfluidic device to generate optical forces capable of separating and sensing molecules, particles, and chiral enantiomers. Key objectives include developing a computational framework for predicting and optimizing optical forces and experimentally validating the metasurface-integrated microfluidic platform. This approach applies machine learning for inverse design and utilizes T-matrix methods for simulation. The anticipated outcomes include a scalable, efficient optomechanical device that offers higher throughput and specificity for molecular separation. The technology is expected to achieve low-cost and high-efficiency separations, advancing biophotonic devices for applications such as glioma biomarker sensing and environmental purification of heavy metals. The research also explores the fundamental properties of chiral-dependent optical forces, expanding knowledge in photonics and optomechanics. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.