1. NIRT: Active NanoPhotofluidic Systems for Single Molecule and Particle Analysis PI: David Erickson (Cornell University) Overview and Program Goals Area 1: developing a fundamental understanding of the coupling of nanoscale transport physics and electromagnetics in nanoenvironments. Area 2: Nanophotofluidic separations of quantum dots. Area 3: Single Molecule Slot Waveguide Traps to Study Protein Folding Dynamics Area 4: Promoting teaching and learning of nanoscience by introducing students to nanomaterials, nanofluidics and nanophotonics as interdisciplinary areas. Nanophotofluidic separation of quantum dots in a slot waveguide. Optical propagation To use the concentrated optical energy in nanophotonic structures to develop a new approach to nanofluidic transport and biomolecular analysis. Participants David Erickson Mechanical Engineering Cornell University Michal Lipson Electrical Engineering Cornell University Todd Krauss Chemistry University of Rochester Kara Bren Chemistry University of Rochester Background on Nanophotofluidic Transport Direction of Optical Propagation F scat + F abs F grad 50 nm (b) core capillaries Optofluidic transport in liquid core waveguides Wave- guide Research and Outreach Areas HeNe Laser Objective lens Optical fiber Target Fiber holder Fiber positioner Fiber and chuck mounted on a translation stage Educational lab kits for examining fluidics and photonics on the nanoscale. Upstate New York Interdisciplinary Forum for Nanoscale Science. Fundamental integration of the undergraduate learning experience into the research program. Develop a series of educational units illustrating fundamental concepts of fluidics, photonics and nanomaterials. Integrated Nanophotofluidic Systems (NSF-NIRT) F scat +F abs F grad Si SiO 2 F grad, 1 40nm F grad,2 Nanofluidic Transport in a Slot waveguide A particle in an electromagnetic field experiences 1.A photon scattering/absoprtion force which propels it forward. 2.A polarization force which pulls it towards the highest intensity region. Using nanophotonic devices (like the slot waveguide shown above) allows us to concentrate the optical energy into a very small area. Nanodevices concentrate the energy to a very small area yeilding very strong forces. As devices get smaller, intensity gets higher, velocity get’s faster and trapping get’s stronger. Optofluidic Transport on solid core waveguides Waveguide Particle Electromagnetic and Hydrodynamic Simulation Experimental and Numerical Characterization of transport velocities and trapping stability (b) (c) (a) In this second area we will demonstrate nanophotonically driven separations of quantum dots differing in size by one monolayer and extend our models developed in area 1 to examine systems comprising of many particles. Single particle spectroscopy for PdS quantum dots. (a) (b)(c) Develop a trapping system based on interfering beams within the slot setting up a series stable optical traps. These traps are sufficiently stable to confine individual proteins essentially indefinitely, potentially enabling a tremendous breakthrough in the fundamental study of protein folding dynamics.