Russian scientists have developed a new laser technology used to create novel optical biosensors that recognize infectious diseases in seconds. The device uses infrared light to show harmful bacteria and viruses and can be widely used in large transport hubs, such as airports, that require constant monitoring of large passenger flows. The study appeared in the "Laser Physics Letters" magazine. The sensor is made of a regular micro-perforation of silver nano-thin film deposited on a transparent substrate supported by natural mineral fluorite. Samples of biological material, such as scraped samples of nasal mucosa, are placed on the film. The film is then exposed to infrared light from an infrared spectrometer in a typical laboratory. By getting the spectrum through the sample, researchers can deduce the presence of specific bacteria or viruses. To prove that the new biosensing platform can detect pathogenic microbes immediately, scientists have used a common bacterium to experiment with Staphylococcus aureus. This rapid analysis may be widely used in large transport hubs, such as airports, where health monitoring of transit passengers is required. At the moment, this is done with a thermal imaging camera tracking body temperature. A feverish passenger may be a potential source of infection. In this case, a clear analysis is necessary to identify whether the individual is actually ill or for whatever reason. It takes several days to investigate biological materials using existing methods, such as the polymerase chain reaction method. In contrast, this new technology provides immediate detection results. The research was led by scientists from the Universities of Mechanics and Optics, the National Nuclear Research University, the Lebestern Institute of Physics and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and worked closely with the Moscow Infectious Diseases Clinic. Another advantage of this new biosensor is its sensitivity. "Optical biosensors that use our technology to detect individual bacteria," said Sergey Kudryashov, a leading researcher in the gas laser lab at the Institute of Laser Technology and Instrument at the Faculty of Mechanics and Optics and at the Lebestern Institute of Physics. "In some public institutions, such as kindergartens, early diagnosis of infectious diseases in schools is particularly helpful for seasonal epidemics in colleges and universities, which can be a valuable asset to physicians in infectious disease hospitals , For early diagnosis and faster diagnosis. " The sensitivity of the biosensor is attributed to the grating-like structure of the silver film. As infrared passes through the sensor, it is regularly distributed over the surface. As the light intensity becomes high microporous will turn into hot spots. The microorganisms contained in the biological material effectively fill the pores and adsorb the hot spots, which increases the probability of their detection. Millions of microscopic holes are laser ablated, which are spatially multiplexed into micro-beams by diffractive optics, enabling researchers to automate and speed up sensor production. "So far, such sensors can only be seen with high-magnification electron microscopes, so actual laboratory analysis is not possible. Our approach allows this microporous structure to cover a larger area, extending it to One square centimeter of area is used to create prototypes for sensing applications in practical experiments to facilitate better adaptation of biological materials, "said Sergey Kudryashov. The backwashing method for optical bio-sensing is not new, but rather ineffective in its implementation. This is due to the fact that the early technologies did not create a true prototype and could be used for testing and clinical practice in a laboratory setting. Before putting this new technology into medical practice, it was proposed that another scientist must address the major challenge of establishing a reference database of bacteria (infrared spectroscopy libraries) that would be used to compare with data from infrared spectroscopy . Infrared spectrometer readings are always compared with such a spectral database, that is, a catalog of infrared active fingerprints of certain functional group molecules. For example, S. aureus, used in the study, has its own fingerprinting from the carotenoid carotenoid fragment, which is the substance responsible for its color. Scientists hope that in the future, the new optical biosensor platform will find widespread application due to lower production costs and faster manufacturing processes, as well as the more common use of substrate materials. In addition, according to the researchers, once the spectral library is calibrated, the sensor will be able to identify not only the types of pathogenic microorganisms but also their approximate types. SICHUAN TELOS NEW MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD , https://www.sichuankenlarcutters.com