Performance of label-free optical biosensors: What is figure of merit (not) telling us?

0560103 - ÚFE 2023 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Slabý, Jiří - Homola, Jiří
Performance of label-free optical biosensors: What is figure of merit (not) telling us?
Biosensors and Bioelectronics. Roč. 212, SEP 15 (2022), č. článku 114426. ISSN 0956-5663. E-ISSN 1873-4235
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GX20-23787X
Institutional support: RVO:67985882
Keywords : Label-free biosensing * Optical biosensors * Plasmonics * Figure of merit * Refractive index resolution
OECD category: Optics (including laser optics and quantum optics)
Impact factor: 12.6, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2022.114426

Here we study the analytical performance of label-free optical biosensors with respect to analyte-induced refractive index changes that can be measured by a biosensor (refractive index resolution). We present an analytical model that interrelates the refractive index resolution and the parameters of the optical platform of a biosensor. We demonstrate that the figure of merit (FOM), which has been widely used to design optical platforms of label-free optical biosensors, is not an appropriate metric to guide the design or predict the performance of label-free optical biosensors. Therefore, we propose an extended definition of FOM that addresses its limitations. We confirm the validity of the proposed approach by both numerical simulations and experiments. Finally, we show that the analytical model of the refractive index resolution not only makes it possible to predict the performance of a biosensor but also provides strategies for achieving optimal performance.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0338326