ABSTRACT
Acknowledgments .............................................................................................. 407 References ............................................................................................................. 407
The ability to perform laboratory operations on a small scale using miniaturized lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices is a promising biosensing technique. The advantages of LOC are the small time of analysis, the low reagent costs, and the reduced amount of chemical wastes. The application of portable, easy-to-use, and highly sensitive LOC biosensors for real-time detection could offer signi- cant advantages over current analytical methods. Integrated optics-based biosensors have become the most suitable technology for LOC integration due to their ability for miniaturization; their extreme sensitivity, robustness, and reliability; and their potential for multiplexing and mass production at low cost.
