Course Instructor:
Prof. Basudev Lahiri
Nanobiophotonics: IIT Kharagpur
Touching Our Daily Course TA:
Udiptya Saha
IIT Madras
Life
Week 8 Discussion
15/09/2025
01 02 03
Metamaterials Metamaterials as Biosensing with nano-
biosensors antennas
04 05
Nanoscale chemical Optical tweezers
imaging
Week 8
QUANTUM BIOPHOTONICS
Problem
Discussions
Q1. PMMA is a type of polymer classified as:
a) Biodegradable
b) Thermosetting
c) Thermoplastic
d) Elastomer
Answer: c) Thermoplastic
PMMA is a thermoplastic polymer. This means it can be softened
and reshaped upon heating, allowing for easy processing and
recycling.
Q2. In AFM operation, the interaction force between the probe
and the sample is monitored:
a) By measuring the change in electrical current
b) By measuring the deflection of a laser beam reflected off the
probe
c) By directly observing the contact between the probe and the
sample
d) By measuring the pressure exerted by the probe
Answer: b) By measuring the deflection of a laser beam reflected
off the probe.
A laser beam reflects off the back of the AFM cantilever holding the probe. As the probe interacts with the
sample surface, the cantilever deflects. This deflection is measured by monitoring the reflected laser beam,
providing information about the forces acting on the probe.
Q3. Optical tweezers are valuable tools in:
a) Moving large objects across long distances
b) Studying the behavior of biological cells and other microscopic
particles
c) Performing surgery on delicate tissues
d) Amplifying sound waves
Answer: b) Studying the behavior of biological cells and other
microscopic particles
Optical tweezers are a valuable tool in research for manipulating
and studying biological cells, viruses, and other microscopic
particles without physically touching them. This allows for
observing their behavior in a controlled environment.
Q4. A common type of material used to fabricate optical nano-
antennas for biosensing is:
a) Rubber
b) Wood
c) Metal
d) Diamond
Answer: c) Metal
Metals like gold and silver are commonly used materials for
fabricating optical nano-antennas due to their favorable light-
interaction properties, such as surface plasmon resonance.
Q5. Plasmonic metamaterials, a specific type of metamaterial, can
be used in biosensors due to
their ability to:
a) Block a wide range of wavelengths of light
b) Localize and enhance electromagnetic fields at the nanoscale
c) Emit light of specific frequencies
d) Act as electrical conductors
Answer: b) Localize and enhance electromagnetic fields at the
nanoscale
Plasmonic metamaterials can localize light at the nanoscale,
creating intense electric fields. This localized enhancement can
significantly amplify the signal from biomolecules bound to the
sensor surface.
Q6. Negative refraction is a property associated with:
a) Certain artificially engineered materials called metamaterials
b) All transparent materials like glass or water
c) Materials with extremely high refractive index
d) Materials that absorb light strongly
Answer: a) Certain artificially engineered materials called
metamaterials
Negative refraction is not a common property in natural
materials. It can, however, be achieved by designing
metamaterials with specific nanostructures that
manipulate light in unconventional ways.
Q7. An application of SRRs could be:
a) Building materials for bridges
b) Designing perfect lenses to manipulate light
c) Creating metamaterials with negative refractive index
d) Both b & c
Answer: d) Both b & c
SRR metamaterials have diverse applications. They can be used in
designing perfect lenses to manipulate light by controlling its
propagation or even create metamaterials with a negative
refractive index for novel light manipulation applications.
Q8. AFM can be used to obtain:
a) Information about both the topography and some material
properties
b) Only information about the surface topography of a sample
c) High-resolution images of internal structures within a sample
d) Chemical composition of the sample surface
Answer: a) Information about both the topography and some
material properties
AFM can provide a 3D topographic image of the surface, revealing
features like bumps, steps, and roughness. Additionally,
depending on the operation mode, it can offer insights into
material properties like stiffness and adhesion.
Q9. One advantage of using optical nano-antennas in biosensors
is:
a) Lower sensitivity compared to traditional sensors
b) Large size and ease of integration into devices
c) Potential for highly sensitive detection of biomolecules due to
enhanced light-matter
interaction
d) Limited potential for biocompatibility
Answer: c) Potential for highly sensitive detection of
biomolecules due to enhanced light-matter interaction
A key advantage of nano-antenna-based biosensors is their potential for ultrasensitive detection. The
localized light enhancement allows for stronger signals from biomolecules, enabling detection of lower
concentrations or smaller targets compared to traditional sensors.
Q10. One challenge associated with using metamaterials in
biosensors is:
a) Their natural abundance and easy integration
b) Low potential for toxicity in biological environments
c) High stability and long shelf life
d) Difficulty in miniaturizing the sensors for practical use
Answer: d) Difficulty in miniaturizing the sensors for practical use
Metamaterial-based biosensors are a relatively new area of
research with exciting possibilities. Researchers are actively
exploring ways to address challenges like miniaturization and
develop practical sensors for various biological
applications.
Q11. Which property of metamaterials allows them to achieve
negative refractive indices?
A) Negative permittivity and permeability
B) Positive permittivity and permeability
C) High electrical conductivity
D) Low thermal expansion
Answer: A) Negative permittivity and permeability
Q12. What is the primary principle behind the operation of optical
tweezers?
A) Magnetic force
B) Optical force from light's momentum
C) Electric force
D) Gravitational force
Answer: B) Optical force from light's momentum
Thank You!
