Sensor for Identifying at Least One Particle by Means of Raman-Spectroscopy

Sensor for identifying at least one particle by means of Raman spectroscopy, comprising an optical trapping system for the at least one particle, including a laser-beam source, acting further as a Raman excitation source for the at least one particle, and a Raman-spectrometer for measuring the spectrally modified light scattered by the at least one particle and for identifying same,

• wherein the optical trapping system comprises a photonic crystal directly linked with the laser beam source, which photonic crystal has multiple cavities at predetermined positions, and
• wherein the laser beam source in use resonantly excites one or more predetermined electromagnetic modes of the cavities at said positions for trapping and Raman-exciting the at least one particle,
• wherein the photonic crystal, the laser-beam source and the Raman-spectrometer are housed in a unitary device having an inlet and an outlet for a fluid carrying during operation the at least one particle through the device,
• wherein a fluid-channel connects the inlet and the outlet, and
• wherein said fluid channel has boundary walls formed by the Raman-spectrometer and the photonic crystal.