On-chip THz detection of biomaterials: A numerical study

Abstract

The marker-free on-chip distinction between hybridised (double-stranded) DNA (HDNA) and denatured (single-stranded) DNA (DDNA) has recently been demonstrated using ultrashort electrical pulses. The electrical THz pulses propagate in integrated waveguides incorporating resonant THz structures onto which the genetic material is deposited. For a possible future realisation of a high throughput array, it is crucial to optimize the experimental parameters and the resonant structure. In this paper we perform a first numerical study of different resonator geometries and examine the influence of critical experimental parameters on the transmission characteristics of the resonant structures. Our simulations demonstrate that the ring resonator shows a comparable performance to the parallel-coupled resonator previously used in a first demonstration by Nagel and coworkers.