Novel strained quantum well laser grown by MOVPE

Strained-layer broad-area lasers have been grown by MOVPE. The structures contain 3.5 nm-wide Ga/sub 0.3/In/sub 0.7/As quantum wells. They emit close to 1.5 mu m and have been made to lase under current injection. These structures were compared with similar lasers containing unstrained 7.0 nm-wide Ga/sub 0.47/In/sub 0.53/As quantum wells also emitting at 1.5 mu m. No improvement has been found in J/sub th/ (933 A cm/sup -2/) or T/sub 0/ (47 K) in the case of the strained structure, despite the expected band structure modification.<>     

the properties of long wavelength strained layer superlattice lasers grown by MOVPE

The strain generated in strained layer superlattices (SLS’s) gives rise to a range of novel electronic and structural properties. These electronic properties could be used to either improve the performance of existing optoelectronic components or be exploited to create new devices. One such application is to enhance the efficiency and reliability of long wavelength lasers used in optical telecommunication systems. Such lasers are currently based on InP/InGaAsP lattice matched materials systems which emit at either 1.3 or 1.55 µm. It is believed that Auger recombination and inter-valence band absorption constitute the major mechanisms which limit the overall efficiency and determine threshold current of such devices. Biaxial strain, incorporated into strained layer su-perlattices, causes electronic band structure modifications which may suppress these non radiative loss mechanisms. Atmospheric pressure MOVPE growth of a long wave-length laser structure is described. The structure consists of an In_xGa_1?xAs/In_yGa_1?yAs SLS active region with InP cladding layers grown on InP (001). Structural analyses by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray double crystal diffraction have demon-strated that it is possible to grow high quality lasers based on this strained layer sys-tem. A range of structures which emitted at µ1.55 µm were grown and lased, at room temperature, under photoinjection. Equivalent threshold current densities, J_th, were typically in the range 1.5-6 kA/cm² and high slope efficiencies, η, were achieved.     

DNA arrays, electronic noses and tongues, biosensors and receptors for rapid detection of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins: A review

This paper presents an overview of how microsystem technology tools can be applied to the development of rapid, out-of-laboratory measurement capabilities for the determinations of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in foodstuffs. Most of the topics discussed are all under investigation within the European Commission-sponsored project Good-Food (FP6-IST). These are DNA arrays, electronic noses and electronic tongues for the detection of fungal contaminants in feed, and biosensors and chemical sensors based on microfabricated electrode systems, antibodies and novel synthetic receptors for the detection of specific mycotoxins. The approach to resolution of these difficult measurement problems in real matrices requires a multidisciplinary approach. The technology tools discussed can provide a route to the rapid, on-site generation of data that can aid the safe production of high-quality foodstuffs.     

A novel current injected strained quantum well laser grown by MOVPE

Conventional long wavelength (1.3 and 1.55 μm emitting) GalnAsP alloy lasers suffer from two disadvantages. Firstly, carriers in the highest lying valence band have a heavy effective mass relative to carriers in the conduction band. This asymmetry leads to an increase in the carrier density required for lasing action to occur. Secondly, non-radia-tive recombination processes, such as Auger Recombination (AR) and Inter Valence Band Absorption (IVBA), which involve occupancy of the heavy-hole (HH) states, are thought to be significant in these materials. These again lead to higher thresholds and lower values ofT ₀than might otherwise be the case. Recently, there has been considerable interest in the prospect of “engineering” the band structure of a 1.5 μm emitting device so as to overcome these problems. It has been reported that for a quantum well under biaxial compression, the light-hole/heavy-hole (LH/HH) degeneracy at the gamma point will be lifted such that the highest lying valence band will be LH-like in the in-plane direction. This should reduce both the effective mass asymmetry and the thermal occupancy of the HH states, lowering the threshold carrier density and reducing the AR and IVBA rates. This paper describes MOVPE growth and characterisation of the first 1.55 μm emitting current injected strained layer laser structure. The active region contains 3.5 nm thick strained quantum wells of Ga_o.3In_o.7As situated in the central region of a quaternary waveguide and grown on InP. TEM micrographs and x-ray data demonstrate that the lattice mismatch (approximately 1%) has been accommodated elastically, without the formation of misfit dislocations. Broad area lasers have been fabricated with lengths of 200–1200 μm and threshold current densities as low as 930 Acm^-2 have been measured from the longer devices. Similar 1.55 μm emitting structures containing unstrained 7.5 nm thick Ga_o.47In_o.53As wells have also been grown and characterised for comparison. As yet, no significant improvement in either threshold current orT ₀has been observed for strained lasers over unstrained devices.     

Immunomagnetic separation with mediated flow injection analysis amperometric detection of viable Escherichia coli O157

The coupling of an immunological separation (using immunomagnetic beads) with amperometric flow injection analysis detection of viable bacteria is presented. Using a solution containing Escherichia coli O157, the electrochemical response with two different mediators [potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) and 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol] was evaluated in the FIA system. Antibody-derivatized Dynabeads were used to selectively separate E. coli O157 from a matrix. The kinetics and the capacity parameters regarding the attachment of bacteria to the immunobeads were studied. The immunomagnetic separation was then used in conjunction with electrochemical detection to measure the concentration of viable bacteria. A calibration curve of colony-forming units (cfu) against electrochemical response was obtained. The detection limit for this rapid microbiological method was 10(5) cfu mL-1, and the complete assay was performed in 2 h. Some advantages over ELISA methods are the direct detection of viable cells (and not total bacterial load) and the need for only one antibody (not enzyme-labeled), thus making the assay faster (only one washing step is necessary) and less expensive.     

A membrane-based ELISA assay and electrochemical immunosensor for microcystin-LR in water samples

We describe within this paper the development of an affinity sensor for the detection of the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin-LR. The first stage of the work included acquiring and testing of the antibodies to this target. Following the investigation, a heterogeneous direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format for microcystin-LR detection was developed, achieving a detection limit, LLD(80) = 0.022 μg L(-1). The system was then transferred to an affinity membrane sorbent-based ELISA. This was an amenable format for immunoassay incorporation into a disposable amperometric immunosensor device. This membrane-based ELISA achieved a detection limit, LLD(80) = 0.06 μg L(-1). A three-electrode immunosensor system was fabricated using thick-film screen-printing technology. Amperometric horseradish peroxidase transduction of hydrogen peroxide catalysis, at low reducing potentials, versus Ag/AgCl reference and carbon counter electrodes, was facilitated by hydroquinone-mediated electron transfer. A detection limit of 0.5 μg L(-1) for microcystin-LR was achieved. Similar levels of detection could be obtained using direct electrochemical sensing of the dye produced using the membrane-based ELISA. These techniques proved to be simple, cost-effective, and suitable for the detection of microcystin-LR in buffer and spiked tap and river water samples.     

Cancer biomarker detection in serum samples using surface plasmon resonance and quartz crystal microbalance sensors with nanoparticle signal amplification

Early detection of cancer is vital for the successful treatment of the disease. Hence, a rapid and sensitive diagnosis is essential before the cancer is spread out to the other body organs. Here we describe the development of a point-of-care immunosensor for the detection of the cancer biomarker (total prostate-specific antigen, tPSA) using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor platforms in human serum samples. K(D) of the antibody used toward PSA was calculated as 9.46 × 10(-10) M, indicating high affinity of the antibody used in developing the assay. By performing a sandwich assay using antibody-modified nanoparticles concentrations of 2.3 ng mL(-1) (Au, 20 nm) and 0.29 ng mL(-1) (8.5 pM) (Au, 40 nm) tPSA in 75% human serum were detected using the developed assay on an SPR sensor chip. The SPR sensor results were found to be comparable to that achieved using a QCM sensor platform, indicating that both systems can be applied for disease biomarkers screening. The clinical applicability of the developed immunoassay can therefore be successfully applied to patient's serum samples. This demonstrates the high potential of the developed sensor devices as platforms for clinical prostate cancer diagnosis and prognosis.     

High C-doped base InGaP/GaAs HBTs with improved characteristics grown by MOCVD

The improvement in the emitter-base leakage current of HBTs has been investigated by the use of an InGaP emitter. InGaP/GaAs n-p-n HBT structures with high C-doped bases, grown by MOCVD, have been fabricated and these devices show Gummel plots with near ideal I-V characteristics (n/sub c/=1.00 and n/sub b/=1.09). Measured current gain remains relatively flat over five decades of collector current and its magnitude is greater than unity at collector current as low as 0.1 mu A. The characteristics of these HBTs were compared with fabricated AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs having similar device structure. The superior performance of the InGaP emitter HBT is demonstrated.<>     

Rational design of a polymer specific for microcystin-LR using a computational approach

A computational approach for the design of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) specific for Cyanobacterial toxin microcystin-LR is presented. By using molecular modeling software, a virtual library of functional monomers was designed and screened against the target toxin, employed as a template. The monomers giving the highest binding energy were selected and used in a simulated annealing (molecular dynamics) process to investigate their interaction with the template. The stoichiometric ratio observed from the simulated annealing study was used in MIP preparation for microcystin-LR. The monomers were copolymerized with a cross-linker in the presence of the template. A control (blank) polymer was prepared under the same conditions but in the absence of template. A competitive assay with microcystin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate was optimized and used to evaluate the affinity and cross-reactivity of the polymer. The performance of the artificial receptor was compared to the performance of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies raised against the toxin. The results indicate that imprinted polymer has affinity and sensitivity comparable to those of polyclonal antibodies (the detection limit for microcystin-LR using the MIP-based assay was found to be 0.1 microg L-1), while superior chemical and thermal stabilities were obtained. Moreover, cross-reactivity to other toxin analogues was very low for the imprinted polymer, in contrast to the results achieved for antibodies. It is anticipated that the polymer designed could be used in assays, sensors, and solid-phase extraction.