A periodic electromagnetic medium is disclosed that includes a surface that provides an interface with an ambient medium and a periodic structure that provides negative refraction within the medium of an incident electromagnetic field incident on the surface. The system includes: microbead specific reagents, incubationmixing chambers, a disposable microbead capture substrate, and an optical measurement and decoding arrangement. This gap will be of a size and shape to enhance vibration damping when it is filled with a gaseous compound, such as air.