Photonic studies on polymer-coated sapphire-spheres: A model system for biological ligands

In this study we show an optical biosensor concept, based on elastic light scattering from sapphire microspheres. Transmitted and elastic scattering intensity of the microspheres (radius 500 mu m, refractive index 1.77) on an optical fiber half coupler is analyzed at 1510 nm. The 0.43 nm angular mode spacing of the resonances is comparable to the angular mode spacing value estimated using the optical size of the microsphere. The spectral linewidths of the resonances are in the order of 0.01 nm, which corresponds to quality factors of approximately 10 super(5). A polydopamine layer is used as a functionalizing agent on sapphire microspherical resonators in view of biosensor implementation. The varying layer thickness on the microsphere is determined as a function of the resonance wavelength shift. It is shown that polymer functionalization has a minor effect on the quality factor. This is a promising step toward the development of an optical biosensor.