Polymer-coated micro-optofluidic ring resonator detector for a comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic microsystem: μGC × μGC-μOFRR

• Published in: Analyst (London) Vol. 141; no. 1; pp. 261 - 269
• Main Authors: Collin, William R, Scholten, Kee W, Fan, Xudong, Paul, Dibyadeep, Kurabayashi, Katsuo, Zellers, Edward T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 07.01.2016
• Subjects: Alkanes - analysis; Alkanes - chemistry; Chips; Chromatography, Gas - instrumentation; Cylinders; Detectors; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Optical Devices; Polymers - chemistry; Resonators; Separation; Silicone resins; Two dimensional; Volatile organic compounds
• ISSN: 0003-2654; 1364-5528
• DOI: 10.1039/c5an01570g

We describe first results from a micro-analytical subsystem that integrates a detector comprising a polymer-coated micro-optofluidic ring resonator (μOFRR) chip with a microfabricated separation module capable of performing thermally modulated comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic separations (μGC × μGC) of volatile organic compound (VOC) mixtures. The 2 × 2 cm μOFRR chip consists of a hollow, contoured SiO x cylinder (250 μm i.d.; 1.2 μm wall thickness) grown from a Si substrate, and integrated optical and fluidic interconnection features. By coupling to a 1550 nm tunable laser and photodetector via an optical fiber taper, whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonances were generated within the μOFRR wall, and shifts in the WGM wavelength caused by transient sorption of eluting vapors into the PDMS film lining the μOFRR cylinder were monitored. Isothermal separations of a simple alkane mixture using a PDMS coated 1 st -dimension ( 1 D) μcolumn and an OV-215-coated 2 nd - dimension ( 2 D) μcolumn confirmed that efficient μGC × μGC-μOFRR analyses could be performed and that responses were dominated by film-swelling. Subsequent tests with more diverse VOC mixtures demonstrated that the modulated peak width and the VOC sensitivity were inversely proportional to the vapor pressure of the analyte. Modulated peaks as narrow as 120 ms and limits of detection in the low-ng range were achieved. Structured contour plots generated with the μOFRR and a reference FID were comparable. Modulated peak widths ranged from 120 to 690 ms and were inversely proportional to analyte vapor pressure; LODs as low as 7 ng were achieved.