Hacking CD/DVD/Blu-ray for Biosensing

Abstract

The optical pickup unit (OPU) within a CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive integrates 780, 650, and 405 nm wavelength lasers, diffraction-limited optics, a high-bandwidth optoelectronic transducer up to 400 MHz, and a nanoresolution x-, z-axis, and tilt actuator in a compact size. In addition, the OPU is a remarkable piece of engineering and could enable different scientific applications such as sub-angstrom displacement sensing, micro- and nanoimaging, and nanolithography. Although off-the-shelf OPUs can be easily obtained, manufacturers protect their datasheets under nondisclosure agreements to impede their availability to the public. Thus, OPUs are black boxes that few people can use for research, and only experienced researchers can access all their functions. This review details the OPU mechanism and components. In addition, we explain how to utilize three commercially available triple-wavelength OPUs from scratch and optimize sensing quality. Then, we discuss scientific research using OPUs, from standard optical drive-based turnkey-biomarker array reading and OPU direct bioapplications (cytometry, optical tweezing, bioimaging) to modified OPU-based biosensing (DNA chip fluorescence scanning, biomolecular diagnostics). We conclude by presenting future trends on optical storage devices and potential applications. Hacking low-cost and high-performance OPUs may spread micro- and nanoscale biosensing research from research laboratories to citizen scientists around the globe.

Fabricating a Raman spectrometer using an optical pickup unit and pulsed power

“…Many studies have applied it as an optical device, such as an optical microscope 13 , for measuring the thermal vibration of a microcantilever for atomic force microscopy 14 . The OPU is also useful for refractive index measurement at the femtoliter scale 15 and a biological sensor at the nano-and micro-scale levels 16 due to its various functions. It has also been applied in micropatterning devices 17 , optical fluid scanning to detect protein aggregation in microfluidics 18 , and DNA replication using magnetic nano-beads 19 .…”

Measurement and determination of encoder disc surface parameters in x-z planes using a conventional optical disc reading head

“…4. The surface scanning device includes precision rotary platform with a piezoelectric actuator and aerostatic suspension [24,16]. A laser scanning head, primary photoreceiver and signal amplifiers were placed on the top of the rotary platform.…”

“…Some approaches deal with the application fields such as accelerometry, profilometry and linear measurements [13][14][15]. Latest research suggests that CD and DVD pick up heads have a lot of potential for the instrumentation development in biochemistry and biosensing [16,17]. However, it was not applied for the determination of an angle encoder disc surface quality measurements.…”

Utilization of CD and DVD Pick-Up Heads for Scratch Inspection of Magnetic Disk in Dynamic State Using Microcontroller

“…Therefore, a new technique of low cost, easy process, and scratch detectability has been presented by using ordinary laser doppler and CD pick-up head to inspect surface details because of its advantages on the measurement of object roughness and the identification of scratch location, in a compromising process [8,9]. Moreover, numerous studies have recently shown interesting results of using DVD pick-up head to detect the reflective DNA layers on a DNA chip slide as its potentiality to show the shape of the DNA and count the number of cells [10]. The DVD pick-up head has been developed for better precision by reflecting the beam to photo detector integrated chip (PDIC), as a receiver, and then, the reflected laser light from PDIC is focused and analyzed on four quadrant sensors of photodiode detector [11].…”