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Browsing Publikationen by Serial Ulm "Schriftenreihe des Instituts für Mikrowellentechnik, hrsg. v. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Damm"

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    A terahertz sensor platform for the detection of African trypanosomes
    (Universität Ulm, 2023-06-22) Müh, Mario; Damm, Christian; Vossiek, Martin
    Human African Trypanosomiasis, a tropical disease induced by infections with the African trypanosome, is termed a neglected disease due to the lack of efficient diagnostic methods. This results in a late detection of the disease in an advanced stage, when patients are already suffering severe damage to their nervous system. To enable more effective containment and treatment strategies, new and improved methods for the detection and classification of infections are urgently needed. In this thesis, the foundations for a sensor platform are laid, which aims to detect trypanosomes in samples of patients’ body fluids by analysis with electromagnetic waves in the terahertz spectrum. In this context, methods for a precise characterization of the electromagnetic properties of African trypanosome cells under different conditions are developed. Based on this fundamental knowledge, designs for passive, planar electromagnetic sensors based on metallic split-ring resonators are devised and investigated w.r.t. their capability to detect the parasite. Subsequently, a fabrication technology for passive metallic micro-resonators on PET film is demonstrated, which is robust, bio-compatible, and promotes the analysis with mm-waves. An emphasis is put on the compatibility to bio-engineered functional aptamers, which introduce additional selectivity by assisting in the aggregation of target cells from conglomerates. Based on this technology, several candidate designs for sensor packages are presented, which are optimized for different compositions of the sample material.