Trends of Biosensing: Plasmonics through Miniaturization and Quantum Sensing

Abstract

Despite being extremely old concepts, plasmonics and surface plasmon resonance-based biosensors have been increasingly popular in the recent two decades due to the growing interest in nanooptics and are now of relevant significance in regards to applications associated with human health. Plasmonics integration into point-of-care devices for health surveillance has enabled significant levels of sensitivity and limit of detection to be achieved and has encouraged the expansion of the fields of study and market niches devoted to the creation of quick and incredibly sensitive label-free detection. The trend reflects in wearable plasmonic sensor development as well as point-of-care applications for widespread applications, demonstrating the potential impact of the new generation of plasmonic biosensors on human well-being through the concepts of personalized medicine and global health. In this context, the aim here is to discuss the potential, limitations, and opportunities for improvement that have arisen as a result of the integration of plasmonics into microsystems and lab-on-chip over the past five years. Recent applications of plasmonic biosensors in microsystems and sensor performance are analyzed. The final analysis focuses on the integration of microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip with quantum plasmonics technology prospecting it as a promising solution for chemical and biological sensing. Here it is underlined how the research in the field of quantum plasmonic sensing for biological applications has flourished over the past decade with the aim to overcome the limits given by quantum fluctuations and noise. The significant advances in nanophotonics, plasmonics and microsystems used to create increasingly effective biosensors would continue to benefit this field if harnessed properly.

Graphical abstract

• Advances in plasmonic biosensing are considered in relation to the last five years

• Plasmon-polariton excitation is analyzed with respect to its integration of microsystems

• Molecular and cellular applications are critically analyzed in terms of benefit/drawback of microsystems

• Quantum plasmonic biosensing and preliminary applications are discussed

• Research and market perspectives are analyzed with regard to plasmonics potentiality

Keywords:

• Bioanalytical
• molecular spectroscopy
• microsystems
• plasmonic sensors
• sensors

Disclosure statement

The author reports there are no competing interests to declare.