Nanowire Biosensor

Development of an electrical biosensor using nanowire transistors and microfluidics.

The goal is to get a sensitive, label-free and fast detection of biomarkers for medical diagnosis, bioprocess industry or environment monitoring. An electrical measurement without the need for adding fluorescent molecules simplifies the instrumentation needed and a portable biosensor is envisaged. The detection is based on the extreme sensitivity of the channel current on charges at the gate of miniaturised MOS transistors made of silicon nanowires. Biomolecules binding to specific antibodies attached to the nanowire surface may thus induce charge changes affecting the conductance of the nanowire. The sensor elements are fabricated with standard CMOS technology enabling mass production and a possibility for disposable use. Acreo is responsible for the development of the microfluidics in the detection system.

Result A new nanowire design with SU8 microfluidics has been fabricated and evaluated.

Start 2008-07-01 End planned 2011-06-30

Project leader Christian Vieider

Project partners KTH (Jan Linnros, Amelie Eriksson Karlström), Uppsala University (Shili Zhang)

Project sponsors Vinnova

Publications 
Chen S., Jokilaakso N., Björk P., Eriksson Karlström A., Zhang S.-L., “A two-terminal silicon nanoribbon field-effect pH sensor”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 264102 (2010).