Zuo Yunfeng, Zhu Xiaoqiang, Shi Yang, Liang Li, Yang Yi
School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Micromachines (Basel). 2018 Apr 2;9(4):163. doi: 10.3390/mi9040163.
Light manipulation has always been the fundamental subject in the field of optics since centuries ago. Traditional optical devices are usually designed using glasses and other materials, such as semiconductors and metals. Optofluidics is the combination of microfluidics and optics, which brings a host of new advantages to conventional solid systems. The capabilities of light manipulation and biochemical sensing are inherent alongside the emergence of optofluidics. This new research area promotes advancements in optics, biology, and chemistry. The development of fast, accurate, low-cost, and small-sized biochemical micro-sensors is an urgent demand for real-time monitoring. However, the fluid flow in the on-chip sensor is usually non-uniformed, which is a new and emerging challenge for the accuracy of optical detection. It is significant to reveal the principle of light propagation in an inhomogeneous liquid flow and the interaction between biochemical samples and light in flowing liquids. In this review, we summarize the current state of optofluidic lab-on-a-chip techniques from the perspective of light modulation by the unique dynamic properties of fluid in heterogeneous media, such as diffusion, heat transfer, and centrifugation etc. Furthermore, this review introduces several novel photonic phenomena in an inhomogeneous liquid flow and demonstrates their application in biochemical sensing.
几个世纪以来，光操控一直是光学领域的基础课题。传统光学器件通常使用玻璃以及其他材料（如半导体和金属）来设计。光流体学是微流体学与光学的结合，它给传统的固体系统带来了诸多新优势。随着光流体学的出现，光操控和生化传感能力与生俱来。这个新的研究领域推动了光学、生物学和化学的发展。开发快速、准确、低成本且小型化的生化微传感器是实时监测的迫切需求。然而，片上传感器中的流体流动通常是不均匀的，这对光学检测的准确性来说是一个新出现的挑战。揭示光在非均匀液体流中的传播原理以及生化样品与流动液体中光之间的相互作用具有重要意义。在这篇综述中，我们从通过非均匀介质中流体的独特动态特性（如扩散、热传递和离心等）进行光调制的角度，总结了光流体芯片实验室技术的现状。此外，本综述介绍了非均匀液体流中的几种新型光子现象，并展示了它们在生化传感中的应用。
