{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]],"date-time":"2026-01-13T09:42:48Z","timestamp":1768297368841,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,8]],"date-time":"2026-01-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767830400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Spanish Ministery of Science and Innovation","award":["PID2019-105918GB-I00"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PID2019-105918GB-I00"]}]},{"name":"Spanish Ministery of Science and Innovation","award":["PID2022-138071OB-I00"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PID2022-138071OB-I00"]}]},{"name":"Spanish Ministery of Science and Innovation","award":["PRE2020-0920009"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PRE2020-0920009"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In this work, we present the design of a prototype fluid analyzer based on photon sieves, permeable diffractive optical elements capable of focusing light through diffraction. The photon sieve comprises a spatial distribution of circular apertures patterned onto an aluminum substrate, which provides intrinsic fluid permeability and functions as either a lens or a mirror. In our approach, the aluminum surface is chemically functionalized to detect a specific biomolecular marker\u2014human serum albumin\u2014whose interaction with the surface induces measurable changes in the spectral reflectance. The operating wavelength is selected to maximize the reflectance contrast produced by the presence of the biomarker. The optical set-up is configured such that the light source and detector lie in the same plane when the photon sieve operates in reflection. A combined geometrical and diffractive analysis is conducted to optimize their positions. Upon detection of the biomarker, the measured signal decreases to 0.43 of its initial value prior to biomarker binding. These results highlight photon sieves as a promising platform for the development of compact, lightweight, and low-cost optical chemical sensors for running fluids.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s26020409","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,8]],"date-time":"2026-01-08T14:32:38Z","timestamp":1767882758000},"page":"409","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Design of Functionalized Photon Sieves for the Detection of Biomarkers in Running Fluids"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4313-6971","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Veronica","family":"Pastor-Villarrubia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Applied Optics Complutense Group, Optics Department, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C\/Arcos de Jal\u00f3n, 118, 28037 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-1896-2105","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis Pablo","family":"Canul-Solis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de San Luis Potos\u00ed, 1570 Parque Chapultepec Ave, San Luis Potos\u00ed 78295, Mexico"},{"name":"Faculty of Science Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 1 bus 2200, 3001 Leuven, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3685-9808","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis Carlos","family":"Ortiz-Dosal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad Acad\u00e9mica de Ingenier\u00eda I, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Zacatecas, 801 L\u00f3pez Velarde St, Zacatecas 98000, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0210-575X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 Gabriel Roberto","family":"Hern\u00e1ndez-Arteaga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Coordinaci\u00f3n para la Innovaci\u00f3n y Aplicaci\u00f3n de la Ciencia y la Tecnolog\u00eda, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de San Luis Potos\u00ed, 550 Sierra Leona Ave, San Luis Potos\u00ed 78210, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7583-8655","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eleazar Samuel","family":"Kolosovas-Machuca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Applied Optics Complutense Group, Optics Department, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C\/Arcos de Jal\u00f3n, 118, 28037 Madrid, Spain"},{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de San Luis Potos\u00ed, 1570 Parque Chapultepec Ave, San Luis Potos\u00ed 78295, Mexico"},{"name":"Coordinaci\u00f3n para la Innovaci\u00f3n y Aplicaci\u00f3n de la Ciencia y la Tecnolog\u00eda, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de San Luis Potos\u00ed, 550 Sierra Leona Ave, San Luis Potos\u00ed 78210, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1337-969X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis Miguel","family":"Sanchez-Brea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Applied Optics Complutense Group, Optics Department, Faculty of Physics, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de las Ciencias, 1, 28040 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4978-9113","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Javier","family":"Alda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Applied Optics Complutense Group, Optics Department, Faculty of Optics and Optometry, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C\/Arcos de Jal\u00f3n, 118, 28037 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1016\/j.trac.2016.04.004","article-title":"Critical overview on the application of sensors and biosensors for clinical analysis","volume":"85","author":"Justino","year":"2016","journal-title":"Trac Trends Anal. 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