Patent ID: 7709247

Claim:
A method to detect a biomolecular interaction by a terahertz Raman spectroscopy, comprising: detecting an exit radiation from a first molecule not bound to a second molecule; contacting the first molecule with the second molecule in a fluid compartment, wherein the first molecule is a biomolecule suspected of binding to the second molecule; impinging the first molecule bound to the second molecule with gigahertz or terahertz input radiation from a radiation source; and detecting with a detector an exit radiation from the first molecule bound to the second molecule, wherein a shift in vibrational frequency of the exit radiation from the first molecule bound to the second molecule compared to the exit radiation detected from the first molecule not bound to the second molecule is determined with a processor and is indicative of the biomolecular interaction, wherein the first molecule is immobilized on a substrate; further wherein the gigahertz or terahertz radiation impinges the first molecule through the substrate and is reflected back from the first molecule through the substrate onto a detector, wherein the shift in vibrational frequency is detected by detecting using terahertz Raman spectroscopy and wherein the input radiation is directed through a waveguide positioned adjacent to the first molecule, by reflecting the input radiation off an inner wall of the waveguide, and wherein the fluid compartment, radiation source, detector, and the processor are formed as a single integrated unit on a chip.