Abstract
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has shown that there is a substantial need for high-precision reliable diagnostic tests able to detect extremely low virus concentrations nearly instantaneously. Since conventional methods are fairly limited, there is a need for an alternative method such as THz spectroscopy with the utilization of THz metamaterials. This paper proposes a method for sensitivity characterization, which is demonstrated on two chosen multi-band THz metamaterial sensors and samples of three different subtypes of the influenza A virus. Sensor models have been simulated in WIPL-D software in order to analyze their sensitivity both graphically and numerically around all resonant peaks in the presence of virus samples. The sensor with a sandwiched structure is shown to be more suitable for detecting extremely thin virus layers. The distribution of the electric field for this sensor suggests a possibility of controlling the two resonant modes independently. The sensor with cross-shaped patches achieves significantly better Q-factors and refractive sensitivities for both resonant peaks. The reasoning can be found in the wave–sample interaction enhancement due to the better electromagnetic field confinement. A high Q-factor of around 400 at the second resonant frequency makes the sensor with cross-shaped patches a promising candidate for potential applications in THz sensing.
Highlights
The current COVID-19 pandemic has placed enormous pressure on medical diagnostics to provide the fastest results possible in order to stop the spread of the virus and provide the best medical care to infected patients
We propose a novel method for sensitivity analysis that should provide detailed sensing characterization of the chosen sensor and assist in its practical use
Minimal absorption is declared at 50% of the absorption value of the unloaded sensor
Summary
The current COVID-19 pandemic has placed enormous pressure on medical diagnostics to provide the fastest results possible in order to stop the spread of the virus and provide the best medical care to infected patients. All of the above emphasizes the need for high-precision reliable diagnostic tests able to detect extremely low virus concentrations nearly instantaneously. Conventional methods such as real-time polymerase chain reaction or loop-mediated isothermal amplification (molecular approach), chemiluminescence immunoassay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (immuno-based detection) often do not satisfy all mentioned requests as they have certain limitations reflected in their high time consumption, difficulties during use and/or poor sensitivity [3]. In order to overcome these deficiencies and increase the general effectiveness of tests, researchers have been looking for alternative label-free methods for virus detection [4]
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