NSF Award
2210707
The COVID pandemic of 2020 demonstrated the worldwide need for low-cost, highly sensitive, rapid<br/>diagnostic testing of diverse pathogens. While silicon photonics enables such a highly multiplexed labelfree<br/>sensing capability with extremely high sensitivities, a handheld low-cost silicon nanophotonic sensor<br/>is still missing. Fabrication imperfections have made photonic sensor implementations difficult with a fixed<br/>wavelength laser and a single detector. Photonic measurement variabilities also arise from binding<br/>uncertainties in nanophotonic pillars and trenches. The fundamental work in this proposal employs a novel<br/>on-chip dual polarization interferometry technique that will reduce photonic measurement variability, and<br/>novel circuit implementations to enable electrically driven and electrically readout low-cost on-chip<br/>nanophotonic sensors. The working principle of the device, and circuit implementations of the device to<br/>overcome fabrication and measurement limitations have not been previously demonstrated. The state-ofthe-<br/>art photonic device fabrication capabilities at a 300 mm CMOS foundry, namely AIM Photonics, with<br/>monolithically integrated passive and active electrically biased photonic components will be employed in<br/>this project. The project will involve students in optics, engineering, materials science, and physics from<br/>the University of Dayton and the University of North Texas who will not only learn about cutting-edge<br/>STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) research but also in computer aided design<br/>layouts for foundry fabrication of next-generation co-integrated electronic-photonic devices. The project<br/>will also work with students and faculty in microbiology from the Dayton Early College Academy, and<br/>other middle and high school students in the greater Dayton, OH and Denton, TX areas. The handheld<br/>sensors will find applications in various domains of biological sensing for cancer diagnostics, infectious<br/>disease and opioid diagnostics, and environmental pollution monitoring as also in new drug discovery.<br/>The technical goals of this project will (a) demonstrate the principle of slow light enhanced interferometry<br/>on-chip; (b) investigate novel thin-film electro-optic phase shifters on silicon chip; (c) demonstrate on-chip<br/>real time dual polarization interferometry; and (d) demonstrate an unprecedented fabrication tolerant silicon<br/>nanophotonic sensor operating in a compact package with electrical drive and electrical readout. The<br/>program will expose students to interdisciplinary research encompassing lithography, photonics, electrical<br/>engineering, physics, biochemistry, and materials science. The project will culminate with the development<br/>of a USB-powered handheld optical biosensor kit. Project members will engage in science and technology<br/>outreach targeting middle and high school students in greater Dayton, OH and greater Denton, TX counties.<br/>Project activities will outreach to broaden the participation of minority students in STEM education and<br/>training. Students will be exposed to an innovation ecosystem with hands-on science and technology<br/>experience. Finally, the project will help to address the significant current need to build US-based<br/>manpower in the design and manufacturing of semiconductor chips.<br/><br/>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.
