NanoBioPhotonics Research

We aim at improving the detection of molecules beyond the limits imposed by the diffraction. We want to simultaneously increase the signal detected per molecule and extend the domains of analysis to watch molecules better, faster and with higher resolutions.

Our work focuses on the use of photonic structures to confine light in nanoscale dimensions and enhance the fluorescence emission from individual molecules. We combine advanced photonic nanostructures with high-end time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy techniques.

At the interfaces between nanophotonics and biophotonics, our results improve our fundamental understanding of nanoscale light-matter interaction phenomena, and contribute to the development of new techniques for the detection and analysis of biomolecules.

Highlighted results:

- First observation of nanoscale heterogeneities in live cell membranes using plasmonic nanoantennas: R. Regmi, P. M. Winkler, V. Flauraud, J. Brugger, H. Rigneault, J. Wenger, M. F. García-Parajo, Planar Optical Nanoantennas Resolve Cholesterol-Dependent Nanoscale Heterogeneities in the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells, Nano Lett. 17, 6295–6302 (2017). ).    Cited >10 x.

- Enhancement of dipole-dipole energy transfer enabled by plasmonic antenna:  J. de Torres, M. Mivelle, S. B. Moparthi, H. Rigneault, N. F. Van Hulst, M. F. García-Parajó, E. Margeat, J. Wenger, Plasmonic Nanoantennas Enable Forbidden Förster Dipole-Dipole Energy Transfer and Enhance the FRET Efficiency, Nano Lett. 16, 6222-6230 (2016).    Cited >20x.

- First demonstration of single molecule FRET enhanced by nanophotonics: P. Ghenuche, J. de Torres, S. B. Moparthi, V. Grigoriev & J. Wenger, Nanophotonic Enhancement of the Förster Resonance Energy-Transfer Rate with Single Nanoapertures, Nano Letters 2014, 14, 4707-4714. Cited >50x.

- New nanoantenna design reaching world’s best performance for fluorescence enhancement: D. Punj, M. Mivelle, S. B. Moparthi, T. van Zanten, H. Rigneault, N. F. van Hulst, M. F. Garcia-Parajo & J. Wenger, A plasmonic ‘antenna-in-box’ platform for enhanced single-molecule analysis at micromolar concentrations, Nature Nanotechnology 2013, 8, 512-516. Cited >210x.       

- First deterministic coupling of a quantum dot to a nanogap antenna: E. Bermúdez Ureña, M. P. Kreuzer, S. Itzhakov, H. Rigneault, R. Quidant, D. Oron & J. Wenger, Excitation enhancement of a quantum dot coupled to a plasmonic antenna, Advanced Materials 2012, 24, OP314-OP320. Cited >70x.    

- New nanoantenna concepts and devices to control single molecule fluorescence directivity: H. Aouani, O. Mahboub, E. Devaux, H. Rigneault, T.W. Ebbesen & J. Wenger*, Plasmonic antennas for directional sorting of fluorescence emission, Nano Letters 2011, 11, 2400-2406. Cited >150x.

- First demonstration of beaming fluorescence light from a single molecule in a nanoantenna: H. Aouani, O. Mahboub, N. Bonod, E. Devaux, E. Popov, H. Rigneault, T.W. Ebbesen & J. Wenger*, Bright unidirectional fluorescence emission of molecules in a nanoaperture with plasmonic corrugations, Nano Letters 2011, 11, 637-644. Cited >240x.