Biological micro resonators for whispering gallery mode lasing via droplet drying techniques

Hanh Mai Hong; Tran Anh Duc; Van Anh Nguyen; Nguyen Minh Nguyet; Cao Dinh Son; Loc Quang Do; Mai Thuy Quynh; Pham Van Thanh

doi:10.15625/0868-3166/23264

Author affiliations

Authors

Hanh Hong Mai Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications, University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, 144 Xuan Thuy, Hanoi, Vietnam https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5924-5112
Tran Anh Duc VNU University of Science, 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi
Van Anh Nguyen
Nguyen Minh Nguyet VNU University of Science, 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi
Cao Dinh Son VNU University of Science, 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi
Quang Loc Do Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications, University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, 144 Xuan Thuy, Hanoi, Vietnam https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0727-3709
Mai Thuy Quynh Soft Matter and Biological Physics Center, Center for High Technology Research and Development, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam
Pham Van Thanh VNU University of Science, 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5444-1462

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15625/0868-3166/23264

Keywords:

microlaser, Rhodamine B, whispering gallery mode

Abstract

In this study, we report the manufacturing and performance evaluation of biolasers based on the Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) resonance effect, employing a solution composed of the natural protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the fluorescent dye Rhodamine B (RhB). Microsphere and microdisk resonators with well-defined shapes were fabricated by utilizing the micro-grating structures naturally on the surface of commercial compact discs (CDs) and adding a thin layer of edible oil. Experimental results demonstrate that both microsphere and micro disk cavities are capable of emitting laser light with clear emission spectra, characterized by low lasing thresholds of approximately 1 μJ/pulse and high-quality factors (Q-factors) reaching up to 2883, when an optical pulsed Nd:YAG laser at a wavelength of 532 nm is used to excite the cavities. The considerable flexibility and elasticity of the BSA substrate enable tuning of the emitted wavelength by adjusting the shape of the resonance cavity. These findings highlight the potential of using biocompatible, low-cost, and readily available natural materials in the development of integrated micro-optical devices for biomedical applications.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] J. Loeffler, ``11 incredible uses of laser technology.'' url{https://interestingengineering.com/science/11-incredible-uses-of-laser-technology}.

[2] A. T. Matei, A. I. Visan and I. Negut, Laser-fabricated micro/nanostructures: Mechanisms, fabrication techniques, and applications, Micromachines 16 (2025) 573.

[3] Y. F. Liu, X. M. Gao and Y. F. Li, Editorial: Recent advances in micro-nanostructured optoelectronic devices, Front. Chem. 10 (2022) 920807.

[4] A. Capocefalo, S. Gentilini, L. Barolo, P. Baiocco, C. Conti and N. Ghofraniha, Biosensing with free space whispering gallery mode microlasers, Photonics Res. 11 (2023) 732.

[5] H. Shan, H. Dai and X. Chen, Monitoring various bioactivities at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organism levels via biological lasers, Sensors 22 (2022) 3149.

[6] M. Humar, A. Dobravec, X. Zhao and S. H. Yun, Biomaterial microlasers implantable in the cornea, skin, and blood, Optica 4 (2017) 1080.

[7] M. Humar, Biological microlasers inside cells and tissues, Opt. InfoBase Conf. Pap. (2017) T2A.3.

[8] T. V. Nguyen, H. H. Mai, T. V. Nguyen, D. C. Duong and V. D. Ta, Egg white based biological microlasers, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 53 (2020) 445104.

[9] S. Caixeiro, M. Gaio, B. Marelli, F. G. Omenetto and R. Sapienza, Silk-based biocompatible random lasing, Adv. Opt. Mater. 4 (2016) 998.

[10] V. D. Ta, T. T. Nguyen, T. H. L. Nghiem, H. N. Tran, A. T. Le, N. T. Dao et al., Silica based biocompatible random lasers implantable in the skin, Opt. Commun. 475 (2020) 126207.

[11] V. D. Ta, D. Saxena, S. Caixeiro and R. Sapienza, Flexible and tensile microporous polymer fibers for wavelength-tunable random lasing, Nanoscale 12 (2020) 12357.

[12] S. Toffanin, S. Kim, S. Cavallini, M. Natali, V. Benfenati, J. J. Amsden et al., Low-threshold blue lasing from silk fibroin thin films, Appl. Phys. Lett. 101 (2012) 091110.

[13] M. C. Gather and S. H. Yun, Single-cell biological lasers, Nat. Photonics 5 (2011) 406.

[14] Y.-C. Chen, Q. Chen and X. Fan, Lasing in blood, Optica 3 (2016) 809.

[15] V. D. Ta, S. Caixeiro, F. M. Fernandes and R. Sapienza, Microsphere solid-state biolasers, Adv. Opt. Mater. 5 (2017) 1601022.

[16] T. V. Nguyen, N. V. Pham, H. H. Mai, D. C. Duong, H. H. Le, R. Sapienza et al., Protein-based microsphere biolasers fabricated by dehydration, Soft Matter 15 (2019) 9721.

[17] V. S. Ilchenko and A. B. Matsko, Optical resonators with whispering-gallery modes—part ii: Applications, IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 12 (2006) 15.

[18] M. R. Foreman, J. D. Swaim and F. Vollmer, Whispering gallery mode sensors, Adv. Opt. Photonics 7 (2015) 168.

[19] H. Cao, Dielectric microcavities: Model systems for wave chaos and lasing, Rev. Mod. Phys. 87 (2015) 61.

[20] A. Giorgini, S. Avino, P. Malara, P. De Natale and G. Gagliardi, Fundamental limits in high-{Q droplet microresonators}, Sci. Rep. 7 (2017) 41997.