AIP Publishing LLC
AIP Publishing LLC
  • pubs.aip.org
  • AIP
  • AIP China
  • University Science Books
  • Resources
    • Researchers
    • Librarians
    • Publishing Partners
    • Topical Portfolios
    • Commercial Partners
  • Publications

    Find the Right Journal

    Explore the AIP Publishing collection by title, topic, impact, citations, and more.
    Browse Journals

    Latest Content

    Read about the newest discoveries and developments in the physical sciences.
    See What's New

    Publications

    • Journals
    • Books
    • Physics Today
    • AIP Conference Proceedings
    • Scilight
    • Find the Right Journal
    • Latest Content
  • About
    • About Us
    • News and Announcements
    • Careers
    • Events
    • Leadership
    • Contact
  • pubs.aip.org
  • AIP
  • AIP China
  • University Science Books

Optical Techniques Offer Fast, Efficient COVID-19 Detection

  • September 7, 2021
  • Applied Physics Reviews
  • News
Share:

From the Journal: Applied Physics Reviews

WASHINGTON, September 7, 2021 — Without the prospect of herd immunity on the immediate horizon, speedy detection for COVID-19 remains imperative for helping to curb the pandemic. Point-of-care testing that can provide immediate results is an urgent need.

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and Omega Optics Inc. investigated the opportunities and challenges in developing rapid COVID-19 sensing techniques. They discuss the prospects of optical biosensors for point-of-care COVID-19 testing in the journal Applied Physics Reviews, from AIP Publishing.

A sample optical detection platform for rapid COVID-19 diagnosis. CREDIT: Asghari et al.
A sample optical detection platform for rapid COVID-19 diagnosis. CREDIT: Asghari et al.

“Due to growing cases resulting from more transmissible variants around the world and the need to prevent and control cases and outbreaks when they arise, we should be utilizing rapid testing more commonly to detect and stop the spread before hitting the transmission peak,” said Aref Asghari, one of the authors.

One of the most promising solutions to accurate rapid testing is using optical biosensors. When a virion is present on the surface of an optical sensor, its interaction with a light beam on the sensor affects the light’s properties, causing a measurable shift in the light signal. Even with only a very small viral dosage, the system can reliably detect the coronavirus in real time.

“In case of COVID-19, the viral load at the onset of infection can be low enough to not be detected by many commercially available methods,” Asghari said. “Therefore, viral detection, especially at earlier infection stage, can be very challenging.”

There are a number of different ways in which this interaction can be utilized and improved upon, such as integrating it with measurements of plasma oscillations or incorporating graphene into its fabrication process.

Each potential configuration uses a different mechanism to sense the virus and has its own set of advantages and drawbacks, but the primary takeaway remains the same. Even with the widespread availability of vaccines, the pandemic cannot be overcome without developing faster ways to determine infection, particularly as mutations and new variants of the virus continue to arise.

“The combination of vaccines and rapid tests will drive down community transmission to a point where we can effectively eliminate the virus,” Asghari said.

###

For more information:
Larry Frum
media@aip.org
301-209-3090

Article Title

Fast accurate point of care COVID-19 pandemic diagnosis enabled through advanced lab-on-a-chip optical biosensors: Opportunities and challenges

Authors

Aref Asghari, Chao Wang, Kyoung Min Yoo, Ali Rostamian, Xiaochuan Xu, Jong-Dug Shin, Hamed Dalir, and Ray T. Chen

Author Affiliations

University of Texas at Austin, Omega Optics Inc.


Applied Physics Reviews

Applied Physics Reviews is the dedicated home for open access multidisciplinary research from and for the applied physics community. The journal publishes reviews of current research in applied physics.

https://aip.scitation.org/are

Share:
  • Nanofiber Face Masks Improve Filtration Efficiency, Need Replacing More Often
  • Noninvasive Eye Procedure Provides Potential Pathway for Virus, Disease Carriers

Keep Up With AIP Publishing

Sign up for the AIP newsletter to receive the latest news and information from AIP Publishing.
Sign Up

AIP PUBLISHING

1305 Walt Whitman Road,
Suite 110
Melville, NY 11747
(516) 576-2200

Resources

  • Researchers
  • Librarians
  • Publishing Partners
  • Commercial Partners

About

  • About Us
  • CareersĀ 
  • Leadership

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Terms Of Use
  • Privacy Policy

© 2025 AIP Publishing LLC