Optics and Precision Engineering, Volume. 33, Issue 7, 1091(2025)

Development of zero-mode waveguide device with micro-reflector for high signal-to-noise fluorescence detection

Xuanshuo LIU1,2, Chuanyu LI1,2, Chunxiao JIAO1,2, Runhu HUANG1,2, Lianqun ZHOU1,2、*, and Zhen GUO1,2、*
Author Affiliations
  • 1University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230026, China
  • 2Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou15163, China
  • show less

    This study addresses the limitations of low signal collection efficiency and suboptimal signal-to-noise ratio in zero-mode waveguide (ZMW) devices employed for fluorescence detection. A micro-reflector ZMW device was designed and fabricated to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio in fluorescence measurements. Finite element electromagnetic simulations demonstrated a significant improvement in the spatial distribution and intensity of excitation and emission fields within the device. The ZMW apertures and a three-stage micro-reflector structure, with a height of 6.48 μm and a bottom diameter of 4.24 μm, were fabricated using a thick adhesive process followed by exposure etching, complemented by focused ion beam perforation and additional micro-nano fabrication techniques. Fluorescence performance was evaluated using fluorescent microspheres, and detection efficiency was assessed through fluorescence imaging. Quantitative analysis of grayscale intensity and signal-to-noise ratio revealed that the developed device achieved a fluorescence detection signal-to-noise ratio of 119.6, representing an approximate 4.27-fold enhancement compared to conventional ZMW devices without the micro-reflector. This high signal-to-noise ratio ZMW device demonstrates significant potential for applications in weak fluorescence detection and related fields.

    Keywords
    Tools

    Get Citation

    Copy Citation Text

    Xuanshuo LIU, Chuanyu LI, Chunxiao JIAO, Runhu HUANG, Lianqun ZHOU, Zhen GUO. Development of zero-mode waveguide device with micro-reflector for high signal-to-noise fluorescence detection[J]. Optics and Precision Engineering, 2025, 33(7): 1091

    Download Citation

    EndNote(RIS)BibTexPlain Text
    Save article for my favorites
    Paper Information

    Category:

    Received: Feb. 24, 2025

    Accepted: --

    Published Online: Jun. 23, 2025

    The Author Email: Lianqun ZHOU (zhoulq@sibet.ac.cn)

    DOI:10.37188/OPE.20253307.1091

    Topics