Search
Menu
CASTECH INC - New Building the Bridge of Light

Reusable Sensor Deploys Nanopatch Antenna for Diagnosis

Facebook X LinkedIn Email
A tiny, reusable sensing chip developed by University of Buffalo researchers could lead to new point-of-care medical tests. The sensor uses surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy, with technology that is based on nanostructures that are nearly as small as the biological and chemical molecules they aim to detect.

Though these nanostructures improve a sensor’s ability to detect molecules, their tiny dimensions make it hard to guide the molecules to the correct area of the sensor.

 

Graphical representation of the device’s structure and function. Courtesy of Miao et al.


The sensor device’s structure and function. The system features a nano antenna that absorbs infrared to enable analysis of biological and chemical samples. Courtesy of Miao et al.
“It’s kind of like building a new racing car that is more streamlined and therefore runs faster, but its door is made too small for the driver to enter the car,” said Peter Liu, assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

The technology developed by the Buffalo team is designed to solve that problem; the sensors work with light in the mid-infrared band of the spectrum and consist of several arrays of tiny rectangular strips of gold. The strips are dipped in 1-octadecanethiol (ODT), the chemical compound that the researchers chose to identify.

Meadowlark Optics - Building system MR 7/23

They added a drop of liquid gallium, and, lastly, they placed a thin glass cover on top to form a sandwich-like structure.

The design of the sensor, with its layers and cavities, creates what the researchers call a “nanopatch antenna.” The antenna both funnels molecules into the cavities and absorbs enough infrared light to analyze biological and chemical samples.

“Even a single layer of molecule in our sensor can lead to a 10% change in the amount of light reflected, whereas a typical sensor may only produce a 1% change,” Liu said.

After measuring the ODT, the researchers removed the liquid gallium from the sensor chip surface with a swab. This process allows the sensor to be reused, which could make it more cost-effective than similar alternatives.

“The structure of our sensor makes it suitable for point-of-care applications that can be implemented by a nurse on a patient, or even outside the hospital in a patient’s home,” Liu said.

The team intends to continue to refine the sensor with the goal of using it for bioanalytical sensing and medical diagnostics applications, such as sensing biomarkers linked to certain diseases.

The research was published in Advanced Materials (www.doi.org/10.1002/adma.202107950).

Published: February 2022
Glossary
infrared
Infrared (IR) refers to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than those of visible light, but shorter than those of microwaves. The infrared spectrum spans wavelengths roughly between 700 nanometers (nm) and 1 millimeter (mm). It is divided into three main subcategories: Near-infrared (NIR): Wavelengths from approximately 700 nm to 1.4 micrometers (µm). Near-infrared light is often used in telecommunications, as well as in various imaging and sensing...
chip
1. A localized fracture at the end of a cleaved optical fiber or on a glass surface. 2. An integrated circuit.
sensor
1. A generic term for detector. 2. A complete optical/mechanical/electronic system that contains some form of radiation detector.
biomarker
A biomarker, short for biological marker, refers to a measurable and quantifiable indicator of a biological condition, process, or response. Biomarkers can be substances or characteristics that are objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacological responses to therapeutic interventions. These markers are often used in medical and scientific contexts to assess health status, diagnose diseases, monitor treatment outcomes,...
Research & TechnologySensors & DetectorsMaterialsspectroscopyinfraredmid-infraredMIRSEIRA spectroscopysurface-enhanced infrared absorptionnanostructureschipsensormedicaldiagnosticdetectionbiomarkerUniversity of BuffaloPeter LiuAmericasTechnology News

We use cookies to improve user experience and analyze our website traffic as stated in our Privacy Policy. By using this website, you agree to the use of cookies unless you have disabled them.