PHOTOSENS

Large Area Photonic Crystal Chemical Sensors

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The PHOTOSENS project aims to develop a low-cost, mass-manufacturable, nano-structured, large-area multi-parameter sensor array using Photonic Crystal (PC) and enhanced Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) methodologies for environmental and pharmaceutical applications. Integrating the PC and SERS based sensors with integrated optics coupling structures within a single sensor platform allows the implementation of a high-performance multi-parameter sensor. Currently, utilization of multi-parameter sensing is hindered by the lack of low-cost and, highly reproducibility fabrication methods for nano-structured surfaces. PHOTOSENS addresses these challenges by developing new roll-to-roll nanoimprinting manufacturing methods.

Scientific work includes development of the multilayer nanophotonic sensor structure, nanoimprint materials for large-area fabrication, functionalized molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) and high-volume manufacturing methods including Roll-to-Roll (R2R) nanoimprint processes for nano-texturing of large-area plastic films. PHOTOSENS will greatly increase understanding of photonic and plasmonic dispersion and field localisation effects in periodic nanostructures, such as Photonic Crystals, and their applicability to sensing purposes. PHOTOSENS demonstrates a multi-parameter large-area sensor platform for environmental and pharmaceutical sensing. The consortium is composed of 4 world-class research organisations, 2 SMEs and 3 large companies from 6 European countries representing the complete supply chain from technology developers to end users. The position of these organizations in their respective markets guarantees that the results of the project will be widely exploited providing the companies with a technological advantage over their global competitors and thus creating new high-tech jobs in Europe in this rapidly growing market.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Nanostructured sensor arrays enable detection of many molecules or parts of molecules in a given sample with a single test platform. EU-funded scientists developed technologies for cost-effective mass production to speed commercialisation.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Large-area multi-parameter sensor arrays are quite promising for pharmaceutical and environmental applications.

Their use to date has been limited due to the lack of low-cost, robust manufacturing methods.

EU support of the project 'Large area photonic crystal chemical sensors' (http://www.photosens.eu (PHOTOSENS)) facilitated development of cost-effective roll - to - roll (R2R) manufacturing by integrating nanoimprint lithography to solve the problem.R2R processing is a promising technology that can be used in production of photographic film, separation membranes, advanced coatings, flexible solar panels and flexible electronics.

Combining R2R manufacturing with nanoimprint lithography, a process for stamping nanoscale features onto a substrate, opens the door to easy mass production of novel nano-devices.Scientists developed R2R nanoimprint processes exploiting soft ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography for nanotexturing of large-area plastic (polymer) films.

Three different all-polymer multi-parameter sensor array platforms exploiting disposable polymer chips were produced.Photonic crystal sensor structures were used for formaldehyde detection to ensure air quality in environmental applications.

The platform based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering demonstrated detection of the pharmaceutical agent ibuprofen and targets pharmaceutical cleanliness and food safety applications.

A platform based on printable single-mode waveguide sensors was also developed, produced and demonstrated.

Outcomes led to nine publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals as well as a press release.PHOTOSENS developed previously lacking cost-effective mass-manufacturing technology to produce large-area nanostructured surfaces.

The team successfully demonstrated a variety of sensor arrays for pharmaceutical and environmental applications.

Lowering cost while ensuring reliability is expected to facilitate rapid commercialisation and market uptake.

Beneficiaries include the numerous small- and medium-sized enterprises in the field as well as the health of EU citizens.