Porous Silicon Membrane Waveguide Biosensor
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Summary The novel technology consists of a porous silicon membrane waveguide that serves as a low-cost, high sensitivity sensor for the detection of biological and chemical materials. It is cheaper and more sensitive than commercial fiber optic and SPR sensors for low molecular weight species. Challenges in Molecular Sensing
- The limited surface area of these sensors, combined with their reliance on evanescent fields makes them unsuitable for detection of small molecules
Technology Description
This technology utilizes the concept of light refraction to detect a specified target molecule. Receptors that can specifically bind the target molecule are fixed in the voids of a porous silicon membrane. Upon exposure to the target molecule, the target binds to the receptors in the silicon pores. The binding of the target molecule alters the refractive index of the silicon membrane, which alters how light travels through the material. By exposing the membrane to light, a photodetector is then used to sense the changes in light refracted by the membrane. Measuring these changes allows this sensor to detect whether or not the target molecule is present.
Unique Properties and Competitive Advantages
- The design of this technology allow it to be fabricated as a sensor chip that would be cheaper to fabricate and enable lower detection limits for small molecules than current technologies
- This technology has a wide range of potential markets including medicine, environmental monitoring, food safety and homeland security.
Intellectual Property Status
- US Patent (Serial No. 12/581,082) filed 10/16/2009 and published on 4/22/2010- Y. Jiao and S. M. Weiss, "Design parameters and sensitivity analysis of polymer-cladded porous silicon waveguides for small molecules detection," Biosens. Bioelectron. 25, 1535 (2010)
- For more information visit the Weiss Group Webpage
Guoguang Rong
Raymond Mernaugh
Sharon Weiss
