Stimulated emission from biological materials and novel optical resonators for diagnostic and imaging applications

The first detailed optical characterization of any biological laser, providing spectral, temporal, threshold, and polarization characteristics for the flavin mononucleotide biomolecular laser, is presented here. In addition, our investigation of natural, bio-engineered, and complex biological laser systems culminates in the discovery of a phycobiliprotein laser, a 30% reduction in threshold energy for fluorescent protein lasers excited by circularly polarized light, and the development of a FRET-based laser using biotin-streptavidin bioconjugates comprising organic dye and gold nanoparticle donor/acceptor configurations. Furthermore, we introduce an optical resonator which can be fabricated from the directed assembly of a particle monolayer and is capable of producing hundreds or thousands of microlasers from a single pump beam. These optical resonators are based on an intra-cavity stabilization scheme which is well-suited for sensitive single-cell refractive index monitoring and intra-cavity in-line holography. Finally, we construct a microlens-stabilized microlaser array, based on a titanium doped sapphire crystal, which enables speckle-free pulsed laser imaging of biological specimens with nanosecond temporal resolution.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Bioengineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2017

Author dc:creator

• Rivera, Jose A

Contributors dc:contributor

• Eden, J. Gary
• Cunningham, Brian T.
• Insana, Michael
• Carney, P. Scott

• Biolasers
• Optical resonators
• Biophotonics
• Biosensors
• Microlasers

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2017 Jose A. Rivera

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/97588

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/97588