A biosensor system is provided for detecting biological species such as
bacteria, proteins, viruses, spores and DNA or RNA. The biosensor system
may also be able to distinguish between Gram positive and Gram negative
bacteria. In some embodiments, the analyte solution flows past a detector
surface to a filter, which traps the analyte. The analyte is then washed
back past the detector surface, thus increasing the number of analyte
species that become attached to the surface. The detector may include an
optical microresonator that is optically coupled via waveguides to a
light source and an optical detector. One of the waveguides may be
provided with a wavelength selective reflector to increase the amount of
probe light coupled into the microresonator or to increase the fraction
of the signal light detected by the optical detector.