MicroLED biosensor with colloidal quantum dots and smartphone detection

Abstract

A fluorescence sensor with the capability for spatially multiplexed measurements utilizing smartphone detection is presented. Bioconjugated quantum dots are used as the fluorescent tag and are excited using a blue-emitting microLED (µLED). The 1-dimensional GaN µLED array is butt-coupled to one edge of the glass slide to take advantage of total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) principles. The bioassays on the top surface of the glass waveguide are excited and the resultant fluorescence is detected with the smartphone. The red, green, and blue channels of the digital image are utilized to spectrally separate the excitation light from the fluorescence for analysis. Using a biotin-functionalized glass slide as proof of principle, we have shown that streptavidin conjugated quantum dots can be detected down to a concentration of 8 nM.