Label-free sensing of ultralow-weight molecules with all-dielectric metasurfaces supporting bound states in the continuum

The realization of an efficient optical sensor based on a photonic crystal metasurface supporting bound states in the continuum is reported. Liquids with different refractive indices, ranging from 1.4000 to 1.4480, are infiltrated in a microfluidic chamber bonded to the sensing dielectric metasurface. A bulk liquid sensitivity of 178 nm/RIU is achieved, while a Q-factor of about 2000 gives a sensor figure of merit up to 445 in air at both visible and infrared excitations. Furthermore, the detection of ultralow-molecular-weight (186 Da) molecules is demonstrated with a record resonance shift of 6 nm per less than a 1 nm thick single molecular layer. The system exploits a normal-to-the-surface optical launching scheme, with excellent interrogation stability and demonstrates alignment-free performances, overcoming the limits of standard photonic crystals and plasmonic resonant configurations.