Miniaturized Analytical Devices.epub

Citation: Loreck K, Mitrenga S, Meemken D, Heinze R, Reissig A, Mueller E, et al. (2019) Development of a miniaturized protein microarray as a new serological IgG screening test for zoonotic agents and production diseases in pigs. PLoS ONE 14(5): e0217290.

Developments in bioanalytical methods have obviously been a key driver in making microsampling a practical alternative in both preclinical and clinical work. Matching the bioanalytical method with the microsample is key to success. Bioanalysis must be able to deliver reliable data from small amounts of analyte in complex matrices such as blood or saliva. With its nanoliter-scale flow-through technology, Gyrolab system is an immunoassay platform that has proved its value in several studies based on microsampling.

In this work we study the limits of miniaturization of a 90-degree hybrid coupler working in the L, C and S bands, with respect to a number of performance parameters aimed at its application for balanced detection. We investigate the main effects responsible for the degradation of the performance of the devices during miniaturization, and establish the minimal dimension that such devices can have without significant degradation for photonic applications such as balanced detection. The miniaturized device in InP generic technology has a footprint of only 2200μm2, more than 5 times smaller than the conventional device used as reference. The scaling approach is based on the use of the number of propagating modes which are sustained in both the miniaturized MMI and port waveguides as scaling parameters. This approach allows us to generalize the miniaturization problem from a specific platform and offers a methodology which is flexible and transferable to multiple platforms. We tested the scaling methodology based on the number of modes in other platforms commonly used in integrated photonics, such as Si/SiO2 (SOI), TriPleX or polymer platforms, obtaining comparable results and proving the universality of our approach, finally we performed a fabrication tolerance analysis of the miniaturized devices.

N2 - In this work we study the limits of miniaturization of a 90-degree hybrid coupler working in the L, C and S bands, with respect to a number of performance parameters aimed at its application for balanced detection. We investigate the main effects responsible for the degradation of the performance of the devices during miniaturization, and establish the minimal dimension that such devices can have without significant degradation for photonic applications such as balanced detection. The miniaturized device in InP generic technology has a footprint of only 2200μm2, more than 5 times smaller than the conventional device used as reference. The scaling approach is based on the use of the number of propagating modes which are sustained in both the miniaturized MMI and port waveguides as scaling parameters. This approach allows us to generalize the miniaturization problem from a specific platform and offers a methodology which is flexible and transferable to multiple platforms. We tested the scaling methodology based on the number of modes in other platforms commonly used in integrated photonics, such as Si/SiO2 (SOI), TriPleX or polymer platforms, obtaining comparable results and proving the universality of our approach, finally we performed a fabrication tolerance analysis of the miniaturized devices.

AB - In this work we study the limits of miniaturization of a 90-degree hybrid coupler working in the L, C and S bands, with respect to a number of performance parameters aimed at its application for balanced detection. We investigate the main effects responsible for the degradation of the performance of the devices during miniaturization, and establish the minimal dimension that such devices can have without significant degradation for photonic applications such as balanced detection. The miniaturized device in InP generic technology has a footprint of only 2200μm2, more than 5 times smaller than the conventional device used as reference. The scaling approach is based on the use of the number of propagating modes which are sustained in both the miniaturized MMI and port waveguides as scaling parameters. This approach allows us to generalize the miniaturization problem from a specific platform and offers a methodology which is flexible and transferable to multiple platforms. We tested the scaling methodology based on the number of modes in other platforms commonly used in integrated photonics, such as Si/SiO2 (SOI), TriPleX or polymer platforms, obtaining comparable results and proving the universality of our approach, finally we performed a fabrication tolerance analysis of the miniaturized devices.

Knowing the year-round movement patterns is a prerequisite for investigating individual life cycles [1]. To study year-round energy expenditure, individual behaviour in relation to environmental conditions, or carry over effects, not only requires knowledge on where an individual is, but also on how and when it is being active and moves between different locations. Especially in migratory birds, movement patterns are key factors of the annual cycle. In recent years, large birds like seabirds and raptors have been equipped with tags that allow positioning with high resolution (e.g. [2, 3], but also monitor flight altitudes and even behavioural aspects by acceleration sensors [4]. However, the overall weight of these tags has limited their applicability to birds weighing more than 100 g. With the development of miniaturized light-level geolocators [5], the number of studies tracking small passerines and near-passerines has greatly increased (e.g. [6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13]. Light-level geolocators allow the estimation of movement and stationary periods along the annual cycle [14], but provide no insight into the actual flight behaviour.

Solid-contact ion-selective electrodes (SC-ISEs) offer several advantages over conventional electrodes with internal electrolytes, like small size, simple design and low cost. As solid contact material and as intermediate layer between the ion-selective membrane and the graphite, polypyrrole has been used. It offers a definite transfer of ion to electrical charge. SC-ISEs without any internal electrolytes present promising low-cost analytical tools due to their advantages, such as miniaturization, portability, fast response, simplicity in operation and low production cost, for widespread application fields. No internal electrolyte solution needs to be incorporated. They offer, therefore, excellent opportunities for remote monitoring and rapid mobile field-analysis, and thus, have found widespread practical applicability. Solid-contact ion-selective electrodes are suitable as simple on-site disposable analyzers, combine ease of use with simple, inexpensive accessible manufacturing techniques, and need simple instrumentation only. As solid contacts, conducting polymers are commonly used [7] [8] [9] [10] .

Low-cost and easy-to-handle chemical analyzers, usable infields, are of increasing interest in environmental analysis. Electrochemical sensors are well suited for on-line analysis due to their sensitivity and portability. During the last years, there has been an increasing demand and high public interest for miniaturized, analytical devices for on-site and in-situ determination of environmental pollutants. It is, therefore, of great interest to transfer analytical measurements from the laboratory to the field.

All chemicals used were of analytical or selectophore grade and used as received without further purification. Standard solutions were prepared from NH4NO3. All solutions were prepared using deionized water. Working solutions were obtained by dilution of stock solutions. The following components for membrane preparation are purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. As ion-selective components have been used nonactine and TDMA-NO3. As plasticizers, bis(1-butylpentyl)adipate and dibutyl phthalate were used. Also poly(vinyl)chloride, tetrahydrofurane (THF), pyrrole and salt solutions containing nitrate and ammonium ions have been used.

The first on-line coupling of gas chromatography to a mass spectrometer was reported in the late 1950s.[4][5] An interest in coupling the methods had been suggested as early as December 1954.[6]The development of affordable and miniaturized computers has helped in the simplification of the use of this instrument, as well as allowed great improvements in the amount of time it takes to analyze a sample. In 1964, Electronic Associates, Inc. (EAI), a leading U.S. supplier of analog computers, began development of a computer controlled quadrupole mass spectrometer under the direction of Robert E. Finnigan.[7] By 1966 Finnigan and collaborator Mike Uthe's EAI division had sold over 500 quadrupole residual gas-analyzer instruments.[7] In 1967, Finnigan left EAI to form the Finnigan Instrument Corporation along with Roger Sant, T. Z. Chou, Michael Story, Lloyd Friedman, and William Fies.[8] In early 1968, they delivered the first prototype quadrupole GC/MS instruments to Stanford and Purdue University.[7] When Finnigan Instrument Corporation was acquired by Thermo Instrument Systems (later Thermo Fisher Scientific) in 1990, it was considered "the world's leading manufacturer of mass spectrometers".[9]

As part of the post-September 11 drive towards increased capability in homeland security and public health preparedness, traditional GC-MS units with transmission quadrupole mass spectrometers, as well as those with cylindrical ion trap (CIT-MS) and toroidal ion trap (T-ITMS) mass spectrometers have been modified for field portability and near real-time detection of chemical warfare agents (CWA) such as sarin, soman, and VX.[24] These complex and large GC-MS systems have been modified and configured with resistively heated low thermal mass (LTM) gas chromatographs that reduce analysis time to less than ten percent of the time required in traditional laboratory systems.[25] Additionally, the systems are smaller, and more mobile, including units that are mounted in mobile analytical laboratories (MAL), such as those used by the United States Marine Corps Chemical and Biological Incident Response Force MAL and other similar laboratories, and systems that are hand-carried by two-person teams or individuals, much ado to the smaller mass detectors.[26] Depending on the system, the analytes can be introduced via liquid injection, desorbed from sorbent tubes through a thermal desorption process, or with solid-phase micro extraction (SPME). 781b155fdc