Project description
Nanophotonic structures to light the way towards ultrasensitive detection of chiral molecules
Chiral molecules play a prominent role in biochemistry, medicine and pharmaceutical industry as most biological molecules have left- or right-handed conformations. Circular dichroism spectroscopy is an essential analytical technique used to detect chirality in molecules as it measures the difference in the absorption of left- and right-handed circularly polarised light. However, this technique is limited by low sensitivity and low spatial resolution due to weak interaction of chiral light with matter. Therefore, analysing the chirality of individual nanoscale objects for critical applications, such as detecting protein aggregates responsible for a variety of diseases, is not possible using light. The aim of the EU-funded CHANSON project is to remove the barriers that hinder circular dichroism. It will rely on new concepts in semiconductor nanophotonics to increase chiral fluorescence intensity and polarisation for ultrasensitive and ultraresolved molecular detection.
Objective
Chirality plays a pivotal role in chemistry and medicine because most biological molecules have either right- or left-handed conformations. Circular dichroism can distinguish the chirality of matter thanks to a small difference in absorption of light with opposite circular polarizations. However, it is severely limited by low sensitivity and low spatial resolution due to weak chiral light-matter interaction. As a result, using light, we cannot resolve the chirality of individual nanoscale objects for critical applications such as detecting protein aggregates responsible for a variety of diseases.
CHANSON pushes the limits of optically resolvable chirality through new concepts in semiconductor nanophotonics. We tailor semiconductor nanostructures to specifically boost chiral fluorescence thanks to the interplay of photons, charges, and spins. Using novel contrast mechanisms, we increase both fluorescence intensity and polarization to remove the barriers that hinder circular dichroism. The project combines two routes for ultrasensitive and super-resolved molecular detection: 1) Nanophotonic sensors based on semiconductor nanoantennas; 2) Excitonic sensors based on atomically thin semiconductors.
The ambitious target is to map with nanoscale spatial resolution the lowest possible molecular concentrations down to a single chiral molecule. To tackle this major scientific challenge, I propose the concept of a metasurface canvas consisting of arrays of semiconductor nanostructures. By providing a platform for fluorescence-based sensing of both light-emitting and non-emitting analytes, the results could revolutionize the screening of pharmaceuticals for neurodegenerative diseases, amongst others.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssemiconductivity
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynanophotonics
- natural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsphotons
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-STG - Starting GrantHost institution
9000 Gent
Belgium