Fabrication of photonic components for integrated lab-on-a-chip biosensor

The early and reliable detection of diseases can dramatically increase the chances of a successful treatment. Diseases can be detected at early stages and monitored due to the presence of biomarker molecules in human body fluids. The lab-on-a-chip integrates one or several laboratory functions on mm2 to cm2-sized chips. The small feature size allows for easy multiplexing and has the potential for automation and high-throughput screening. Our goal is to develop a fast proof-of-principle demonstrator with 3 target biomarkers for research and for treatment in a clinical environment. The sensitivity and robustness of such a sensor is highly dependent on the quality of the fabricated components. The lab-on-a-chip utilizes silicon photonics on a silicon-on-insulator platform, all fabricated in-house. We have developed fabrication methods to create high-quality photonic components for integration with the lab-on-a-chip biosensor.