Whispering-gallery-mode resonators for detection and classification of free-flowing nanoparticles and cells through photoacoustic signatures

Jie Liao; Maxwell Adolphson; Hangyue Li; Dipayon Kumar Sikder; Chenyang Lu; Lan Yang

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-01978-9

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Whispering-gallery-mode resonators for detection and classification of free-flowing nanoparticles and cells through photoacoustic signatures

Original Articles

- Whispering-gallery-mode resonators for detection and classification of free-flowing nanoparticles and cells through photoacoustic signatures
- Whispering-gallery-mode resonators for detection and classification of free-flowing nanoparticles and cells through photoacoustic signatures
- Light: Science & Applications 2025年14卷第12期页码：4192-4203
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
  2.Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
  3.AI for Health Institute, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
- Author bio：
  
  Lan Yang (yang@seas.wustl.edu)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-01978-9
  中图分类号：
- 收稿：2024-10-16，
  
  修回：2025-06-08，
  
  录用：2025-07-22，
  
  网络出版：2025-12-11，
  
  纸质出版：2025-12-31
- Accepted：
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Jie Liao, Maxwell Adolphson, Hangyue Li, 等. Whispering-gallery-mode resonators for detection and classification of free-flowing nanoparticles and cells through photoacoustic signatures[J]. Light: Science & Applications, 2025,14(12):4192-4203.

Liao, J. et al. Whispering-gallery-mode resonators for detection and classification of free-flowing nanoparticles and cells through photoacoustic signatures. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 4192-4203 (2025).
Jie Liao, Maxwell Adolphson, Hangyue Li, 等. Whispering-gallery-mode resonators for detection and classification of free-flowing nanoparticles and cells through photoacoustic signatures[J]. Light: Science & Applications, 2025,14(12):4192-4203. DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01978-9.

Liao, J. et al. Whispering-gallery-mode resonators for detection and classification of free-flowing nanoparticles and cells through photoacoustic signatures. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 4192-4203 (2025). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01978-9.

摘要

Abstract

Micro and nanoscale particles have played crucial roles across diverse fields

from biomedical imaging and environmental processes to early disease diagnosis

influencing numerous scientific research and industrial applications. Their unique characteristics demand accurate detection

characterization

and identification. However

conventional spectroscopy and microscopy commonly used to characterize and identify tiny objects often involve bulky equipment and intricate

time-consuming sample preparation. Over the past two decades

optical micro-sensors have emerged as a promising sensor technology with their high sensitivity and compact configuration. However

their broad applicability is constrained by the requirement of surface binding for selective sensing and the difficulty in differentiating between various sensing targets

which limits their application in detecting targets in their native state or in complex biological samples. Developing label-free and immobilization-free sensing techniques that can directly detect target particles in complex solutions is crucial for overcoming the inherent limitations of current biosensors. In this study

we design and demonstrate an optofluidic

high throughput

ultra-sensitive optical microresonator sensor that can capture subtle acoustic signals

generated by tiny particles from the absorption of pulsed light energy

providing photoacoustic spectroscopy information for real-time

label-free detection and interrogation of particles and cells in their native solution environments across an extended sensing volume. Leveraging unique optical absorption of the targets

our technique can selectively detect and classify particles flowing through the sensor systems without the need for surface binding

even in a complex sample matrix

such as whole blood samples. We showcase the measurement of gold nanoparticles with diverse geometries and different species of red blood cells in the presence of other cellular elements and a wide variety of proteins. These particles are effectively identified and classified based on their photoacoustic fingerprint that captures particle shape

composition

molecule properties

and morphology features. This work opens up new avenues to achieve rapid

reliable

and high-throughput particle and cell identification in clinical and industrial applications

offering a valuable tool for understanding complex biological and environmental systems.

关键词

Keywords

references

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