Showing papers by "Giuseppe Coppola published in 2013"

Digital holography as a method for 3D imaging and estimating the biovolume of motile cells

Abstract: Sperm morphology is regarded as a significant prognostic factor for fertilization, as abnormal sperm structure is one of the most common factors in male infertility. Furthermore, obtaining accurate morphological information is an important issue with strong implications in zoo-technical industries, for example to perform sorting of species X from species Y. A challenging step forward would be the availability of a fast, high-throughput and label-free system for the measurement of physical parameters and visualization of the 3D shape of such biological specimens. Here we show a quantitative imaging approach to estimate simply and quickly the biovolume of sperm cells, combining the optical tweezers technique with digital holography, in a single and integrated set-up for a biotechnology assay process on the lab-on-a-chip scale. This approach can open the way for fast and high-throughput analysis in label-free microfluidic based “cytofluorimeters” and prognostic examination based on sperm morphology, thus allowing advancements in reproductive science.

Asymmetric MSM sub-bandgap all-silicon photodetector with low dark current

Abstract: Design, fabrication, and characterization of an asymmetric metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector, based on internal photoemission effect and integrated into a silicon-on-insulator waveguide, are reported. For this photodetector, a responsivity of 4.5 mA/W has been measured at 1550 nm, making it suitable for power monitoring applications. Because the absorbing metal is deposited strictly around the vertical output facet of the waveguide, a very small contact area of about 3 µm2 is obtained and a transit-time-limited bandwidth of about 1 GHz is demonstrated. Taking advantage of this small area and electrode asymmetry, a significant reduction in the dark current (2.2 nA at −21 V) is achieved. Interestingly, applying reverse voltage, the photodetector is able to tune its cut-off wavelength, extending its range of application into the MID infrared regime.

Surface plasmon resonance optical cavity enhanced refractive index sensing.

Abstract: We report on a method for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) refractive index sensing based on direct time-domain measurements. An optical resonator is built around an SPR sensor, and its photon lifetime is measured as a function of loss induced by refractive index variations. The method does not rely on any spectroscopic analysis or direct intensity measurement. Time-domain measurements are practically immune to light intensity fluctuations and thus lead to high resolution. A proof of concept experiment is carried out in which a sensor response to liquid samples of different refractive indices is measured. A refractive index resolution of the current system, extrapolated from the reproducibility of cavity-decay time determinations over 133 s, is found to be about 10−5 RIU. The possibility of long-term averaging suggests that measurements with a resolution better than 10−7 RIU/√Hz are within reach.

Low dark current silicon-on-insulator waveguide metal-semiconductor-metal-photodetector based on internal photoemissions at 1550 nm

Abstract: We report on the fabrication and characterization of a metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector operating at 1550 nm and integrated into a silicon-on-insulator waveguide. Detection uses internal photoemissions through a metal/Si interface. In particular, a small metal/Si contact layer directly deposited on the vertical output facet of the waveguide absorbs the incoming radiation confined into a rib waveguide. The device parameters for responsivity, dark current, and bandwidth take values 3.5 mA, 3.5 nA, and 1 GHz, respectively. The results obtained indicate device suitability in power monitoring and telecommunications applications.

Optics with diatoms: towards efficient, bioinspired photonic devices at the micro-scale

Abstract: Diatoms are monocellular algae responsible of 20-25% of the global oxygen produced by photosynthetic processes. The protoplasm of every single cell is enclosed in an external wall made of porous hydrogenated silica, the frustule. In recent times, many effects related to photonic properties of diatom frustules have been discovered and exploited in applications: light confinement induced by multiple diffraction, frustule photoluminescence applied to chemical and biochemical sensing, photonic-crystal-like behavior of valves and girdles. In present work we show how several techniques (e.g. digital holography) allowed us to retrieve information on light manipulation by diatom single valves in terms of amplitude, phase and polarization, both in air and in a cytoplasmatic environment. Possible applications in optical microsystems of diatom frustules and frustule-inspired devices as active photonic elements are finally envisaged.

Spontaneous assembly of carbon-based chains in polymer matrixes through surface charge templates.

Abstract: Stable chains of carbon-based nanoparticles were formed directly in polymer matrixes through an electrode-free approach. Spontaneous surface charges were generated pyroelectrically onto functionalized ferroelectric crystals, enabling the formation of electric field gradients that triggered the dipole−dipole interactions responsible for the alignment of the particles, while embedded in the polymer solution. The phenomenon is similar to the dielectrophoretic alignment of carbon nanotubes reported in the literature. However, here the electric fields are generated spontaneously by a simple heat treatment that, simultaneously, aligns the particles and provides the energy necessary for curing the host polymer. The result is a polymer sheet reinforced with well-aligned chains of carbon-based particles, avoiding the invasive implementation of appropriate electrodes and circuits. Because polymers with anisotropic features are of great interest for enhancing the thermal and/or the electrical conductivity, the electrode-free nature of this technique would improve the scaling down and the versatility of those interconnections that find applications in many fields, such as electronics, sensors, and biomedicine. Theoretical simulations of the interactions between the particles and the charge templates were implemented and appear in good agreement with the experimental results. The chain formation was characterized by controlling different parameters, including surface charge configuration, particle concentration, and polymer viscosity, thus demonstrating the reliability of the technique. Moreover, micro-Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for a thorough inspection of the assembled chains.

Electro-optical effect in hydrogenated amorphous silicon-based waveguide-integrated p-i-p and p-i-n configurations

Abstract: A p-i-p configuration of an electro-optical modulator based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is characterized and compared with an a-Si:H based p-i-n modulator. In particular, we estimate the performances in terms of optical losses, voltage-length product, and bandwidth at λ = 1550 nm for waveguide-integrated p-i-p versus p-i-n configurations. Both devices are fabricated on a silicon substrate by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition at low temperature ensuring the back-end integration with a CMOS microchip. We demonstrate a factor of merit for the p-i-p waveguide integrated Fabry-Perot resonator of Vπ×Lπ=19 V×cm allowing the design of shorter devices with respect to p-i-n structure.

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon multi-SOI waveguide modulator with low voltage-length product

Abstract: Electrically induced phase modulation is characterized for the first time in a waveguide-integrated Fabry–Perot resonating cavity based both on an index- and conductivity- high-contrast amorphous silicon/amorphous silicon carbide (a-Si:H/a-SiC:H) multistack. The device consists of a single mode a-Si:H rib waveguide containing three insulating thin layers of a-SiC:H embedded within the core thickness. The effective refractive index change, Δ n eff , at the wavelength of λ =1.55 μm is achieved through the application of an electric field across the stack which induces carrier accumulation at all the a-Si:H/a-SiC:H interfaces, resulting in turn in a high interaction between the optical beam and the accumulation layers. This configuration allows to obtain a V π × L π product of about 5.9 V cm, not far from what observed in high performing electro-optical modulators in crystalline silicon.

Characterization of photopolymers as optical recording materials by means of digital holography microscopy

Abstract: A digital holographic characterization technique is developed for studying changes in the refractive index when polymerization occurs. This all optical characterization technique enables real-time detection of the photopolymer refractive index changes during the recording process. In this paper, two different new photopolymers, sensitive to light at wavelength of 532 nm, were characterized by means of digital holography. We found a very high refractive index variation for both the new photopolymers, thus this materials could be suitable for holographic recordings with the great advantage of being inexpensive and easy to make.

Investigation on 3D morphological changes of in vitro cells through digital holographic microscopy

Abstract: We report the investigation of the identification and measurement of region of interest (ROI) in quantitative phase-contrast maps (QPMs) of biological cells by digital holographic microscopy (DHM), with the aim to analyze the 3D positions and 3D morphology together. We consider as test case for our tool the in vitro bull sperm head morphometry analysis. Extraction and measurement of various morphological parameters are performed by using two methods: the anisotropic diffusion filter, that is based on the Gaussian diffusivity function which allows more accuracy of the edge position, and the simple thresholding filter. In particular we consider the calculation of area, ellipticity, perimeter, major axis, minor axis and shape factor as a morphological parameter, instead, for the estimation of 3D position, we compute the centroid, the weighted centroid and the maximum phase values. A statistical analysis on a data set composed by N = 14 holograms relative to bovine spermatozoa and its reference holograms is reported.

Digital holographic microscopy for the evaluation of human sperm structure

Abstract: The morphology of the sperm head has often been correlated with the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF), and has been shown to be the sole parameter in semen of value in predicting the success of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI). In this paper, we have studied whether Digital Holographic (DH) microscopy may be useful to obtain quantitative data on human sperm head structure and compared this technique to high power digitally enhanced Nomarski microscope. The main advantage of DH is that a high resolution 3-D quantitative sample imaging may be obtained thorugh numerical refocusing at different object planes without any mechanical scanning. We show that DH can furnish useful information on the dimensions and structure of human spermatozoo, that cannot be revealed by conventional phase contrast microscopy. In fact, in this paper DH has been used to evaluate volume and indicate precise location of vacuoles, thus suggesting its use as an additional useful prognostic quantitative tool in assisted reproduction technology (ART).

Label-free biochemical characterization of bovine sperm cells using Raman microscopy

Abstract: The current study relates to a Raman spectroscopy-based method for addressing the problem of sex assessment in mammals. A direct method for sex predetermination in animals is based on the X- and Y-bearing sperm cells sorting before insemination. Our Raman spectroscope allows distinguishing and characterizing the difference between X- and Y-bearing sperm cells by detecting and analyzing their Raman spectra in a non-invasive and non-destructive way.

Optical cavity-enhanced surface plasmon resonance refractive index sensing

Abstract: A novel type of high-sensitivity Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR)-based refractive index sensor is demonstrated, with a Kretschmann prism-coupling setup enclosed in an optical cavity and interrogated by a telecom wavelength laser source. Two thin layers of Au and SiO2 are deposited on the prism (SPR chip). Analogously to the sensors commonly referred as “Intensity modulated SPR sensors”, in the presented setup refractive index variations of the sample induce a shift of the SPR central wavelength, which in turn leads to a variation of the SPR chip reflectivity. Since the SPR chip is one of the cavity mirrors, the corresponding loss can be sensitively determined by measuring the internal photon lifetime by a cavity ring-down technique [1]. The interrogating laser is periodically shut down and the subsequent exponential decay of the on-resonance transmitted intensity is recorded to retrieve the ring-down time. In order to improve the repetability of the measurement and allow for long-term averaging, the laser is frequency locked to a cavity resonance by means of the Pound-Drever-Hall scheme[2]. The setup is sketched in fig.1.