Abstract
Fiber optic biosensors are minimally invasive devices that perform a specific detection of biomolecules, through the analysis of reflection or transmission spectra.The operation with single-mode telecom fibers at infrared wavelengths makes it possible to achieve high performances, thanks to the excellent mode stability, while designing sensors having a low cost per unit.In this work, we present our latest results using fiber-optic biosensors based on ball resonators (BRs), fabricated using a CO2 laser splicer and functionalized using a silanization process.The BR fabrication is a rapid and repeatable process, leading to sensors that have quasi-random spectral features that can be interrogated through optical backscatter reflectometry.We present the BR sensors for a various range of targets that include protein-based cancer biomarkers, viruses, cells, and the exploitation or analytes such as saliva or tears.