Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems
Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems

Photonic Biosensors

Photonic biosensors - Development of a photonic biosensor system for the analysis of biomolecules in liquids

© Fraunhofer IPMS
Photonic biosensor chip from Fraunhofer IPMS.
© Fraunhofer IPMS
On-chip 1x7 microring resonator biosensor chips on a 200 mm wafer.

Biosensor research is currently experiencing significant progress in areas such as clinical diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and personalized medicine. At the Fraunhofer Center Erfurt, we are developing innovative, label-free biosensor solutions based on photonic integrated circuits (PICs) made of silicon nitride (Si₃N₄). This technology enables the sensitive and parallel detection of numerous biomolecules in liquid media.

Fields of application

The focus is on applications for early diagnosis, disease prevention and continuous health monitoring. Particular attention is paid to the detection of biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's - a key to the personalized medicine of the future.

Technological approach: integrated photonic biosensors

Our developments are based on low-loss, high-density Si₃N₄ waveguides with microring resonators (μRR) as sensor elements. The combination with specific biofunctionalization and antigen immobilization strategies enables

  • Label-free detection
  • High sensitivity and specificity
  • Multiplexing capabilityMiniaturization and integration at chip level

System components

The research work includes the complete development and integration of all necessary modules:

  • Photonic Si₃N₄ waveguide platform (200 mm Si wafer)
  • Multiplex-capable μRR biosensors at 1550 nm
  • Microfluidic systems incl. chip-based fluidic cells
  • Biofunctionalization and chemical surface modification
  • Development of novel DNA probes and binding assays
  • System integration and validation

Application: Detection of disease-relevant biomarkers

A key application is the detection of microRNAs (miRNAs), which are considered promising biomarkers for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. The photonic sensors enable the parallel, rapid detection of several specific miRNAs - an efficient and scalable alternative to established methods such as ELISA or PCR, which are generally time-consuming and cost-intensive.

R&D offer: Your advantages

We offer comprehensive development capacities in the field of photonic biosensor technology - from design to integration.

Unique technological features:

  • Label-free, multiplexable, sensitive, fast
  • Scalable thanks to wafer-level production
  • Miniaturization through integrated photonics
  • Application-specific biofunctionalization
  • Regenerable sensor chips for cost reduction

Fields of application

  • Biomedical diagnostics and point-of-care solutions
  • Environmental monitoring and pathogen detection
  • Spectroscopy, quantum and communication technologies

One-stop store for PIC sensor technology:

Development and implementation of application-specific, silicon-based sensor concepts - from the idea to the functional demonstrator.

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