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Biosensors
Special Issues
Advanced Optics and Photonics in Biosensing Applications
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Advanced Optics and Photonics in Biosensing Applications

A special issue of Biosensors (ISSN 2079-6374). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical and Photonic Biosensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 1383

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Hai-Feng Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Electronic and Optical Engineering & College of Flexible Electronics (Future Technology), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
Interests: biosensors; photonic crystals; metamaterial; electromagnetic calculation; practical plasma technology; microwave device
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biosensors are becoming increasingly vital in fields such as diagnostics, environmental monitoring and biotechnology. The purpose of this Special Issue is to explore the latest research results and applications regarding the integration of advanced optical and photonics technologies in biosensors. By capitalizing upon the advantages of optics and photonics, such as their high sensitivity, rapid response and non-intrusion, the performance of modern biosensors has been enhanced in an unprecedented way.

This Special Issue aims to compile a series of research articles and reviews that address the implementation of advanced optical and photonics technologies in biosensors, including, but not limited to, surface plasmon resonance, photonic crystals, fiber optics, microcavity lasers, and fluorescent labeling. In addition, studies that address the whole process are welcome; this encompasses basic principles to practical applications, including the design and manufacture of novel sensors, the development of optical materials, and the characterization of optical and biological interfaces.

Through this Special Issue, readers will not only discover how optics and photonics are propelling the development of biosensor technology, but also learn how these technologies can be applied to solve practical problems. The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for researchers, engineers and clinicians to discuss the future opportunities and challenges of advanced optics and photonics in biodetection.

Prof. Dr. Hai-Feng Zhang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biosensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • photonics-based sensors
  • photonic crystal biosensors
  • optical fiber biosensors
  • metamaterial
  • metasurface
  • biomedical sensors
  • cell and tissue sensing
  • environmental monitoring
  • diagnosis
  • artificial intelligence prediction

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3406 KB  
Article
Biosensor for Bacterial Detection Through Color Change in Culture Medium
by Aramis A. Sánchez, Grettel Riofrío, Darwin Castillo, J. P. Padilla-Martínez and Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan
Biosensors 2025, 15(8), 551; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15080551 - 20 Aug 2025
Viewed by 210
Abstract
Rapid and accurate bacterial detection is essential in medicine, the food industry, and environmental monitoring. This work presents the development of an optical sensor based on color changes in the culture medium that leverages the optical interaction of bacterial metabolic products. The proposed [...] Read more.
Rapid and accurate bacterial detection is essential in medicine, the food industry, and environmental monitoring. This work presents the development of an optical sensor based on color changes in the culture medium that leverages the optical interaction of bacterial metabolic products. The proposed prototype operates on the principle of optical transmittance through mannitol salt agar (ASM), a selective medium for Staphylococcus aureus. As bacterial growth progresses, the medium undergoes changes in thickness and, primarily, color, which is optically measurable at specific wavelengths depending on the type of illumination provided by the simplified light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The sensor demonstrated the ability to detect bacterial growth in approximately 90–120 min, offering a significant reduction in detection time compared to traditional incubation methods. The system is characterized by its simplicity, sensitivity, low reagent consumption (up to 140 fewer reagents per test), and potential for real-time monitoring. These findings support the viability of the proposed sensor as an efficient alternative for early pathogen detection in both clinical and industrial applications. Finally, a proposal for simplifying the sensor in a system composed of a light-emitting diode and a light-dependent resistor is presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Optics and Photonics in Biosensing Applications)
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12 pages, 2021 KB  
Article
Dual-Mode Optical Detection of Sulfide Ions Using Copper-Anchored Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Quantum Dot Nanozymes
by Van Anh Ngoc Nguyen, Trung Hieu Vu, Phuong Thy Nguyen and Moon Il Kim
Biosensors 2025, 15(8), 528; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15080528 - 13 Aug 2025
Viewed by 390
Abstract
We present a dual-mode optical sensing strategy for selective and sensitive detection of sulfide ions (S2−), employing copper-anchored nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (Cu@N-GQDs) as bifunctional nanozymes. The Cu@N-GQDs were synthesized via citric acid pyrolysis in the presence of ammonium hydroxide (serving [...] Read more.
We present a dual-mode optical sensing strategy for selective and sensitive detection of sulfide ions (S2−), employing copper-anchored nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (Cu@N-GQDs) as bifunctional nanozymes. The Cu@N-GQDs were synthesized via citric acid pyrolysis in the presence of ammonium hydroxide (serving as both nitrogen source and reductant) and copper chloride, leading to uniform incorporation of copper oxide species onto the N-GQD surface. The resulting nanohybrids exhibit two synergistic functionalities: intrinsic fluorescence comparable to pristine N-GQDs, and significantly enhanced peroxidase-like catalytic activity attributed to the anchored copper species. Upon interaction with sulfide ions, the system undergoes a dual-optical response: (i) fluorescence quenching via Cu-S complexation, and (ii) inhibition of peroxidase-like activity due to the deactivation of Cu catalytic centers via the interaction with S2−. This dual-signal strategy enables sensitive quantification of S2−, achieving detection limits of 0.5 µM (fluorescence) and 3.5 µM (colorimetry). The sensor demonstrates excellent selectivity over competing substances and high reliability and precision in real tap water samples. These findings highlight the potential of Cu@N-GQDs as robust, bifunctional, and field-deployable nanozyme probes for environmental and biomedical sulfide ion monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Optics and Photonics in Biosensing Applications)
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16 pages, 25225 KB  
Article
Theory Design of a Virtual Polarizer with Multiscale and Multi-Biomass Sensing
by Chuanqi Wu and Haifeng Zhang
Biosensors 2025, 15(8), 516; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15080516 - 8 Aug 2025
Viewed by 202
Abstract
Recently, more and more attention has been paid to human health with the rapid development of society. A designed virtual polarizer (VP) can realize multiscale and multi-biomass sensing, including temperature, cancerous cells, and COVID-19. Based on coherent perfect polarization conversion, a certain polarization [...] Read more.
Recently, more and more attention has been paid to human health with the rapid development of society. A designed virtual polarizer (VP) can realize multiscale and multi-biomass sensing, including temperature, cancerous cells, and COVID-19. Based on coherent perfect polarization conversion, a certain polarization conversion can be fulfilled within 1.72~2.14 THz. Then, through observing the displacement of a perfect matching point (PMP), variations in temperature can be accurately determined, covering from 299 K to 315 K, with a sensitivity (S) of 0.0198 THz/K. Moreover, a sharp coherent perfect absorption (CPA) peak generated from the VP can be employed for the detection of cancerous cells and COVID-19. The refractive index (RI) detection range of cancerous cells is from 1.36 RIU to 1.41 RIU with the sensitivity being −4.45881 THz/RIU. The average quality factor (Q), figure of merit (FOM), and detection limit (DL) are 825.36, 241.11 RIU−1, and −36.83 dB. For the COVID-19 solution concentration (SC) from 0 mM to 525 mM, by mapping SC to RI, the RI sensing range is 1.344 RIU–1.355 RIU with the S being −5.03467 THz/RIU. The relevant Q, FOM, and DL are 760.85, 244.94 RIU−1, and −36.89 dB. Based on two strategies of PMP and CPA, the proposed VP is capable of multiscale and multi-biomass sensing with excellent detection performance, providing a new detection method for biosensing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Optics and Photonics in Biosensing Applications)
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