An integrated superhydrophobic-plasmonic biosensor for mid-infrared protein detection at the femtomole level

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2015 Sep 7;17(33):21337-42. doi: 10.1039/c4cp05023a. Epub 2015 Feb 25.

Abstract

In this work we present an integrated biosensor that enables FTIR (Fourier Transform-Infrared) detection of analytes contained in diluted solutions. The fabricated nanosensor allows for the detection of proteins through the identification of the fine structure of their amide I and II bands, up to the nanomolar concentration range. We exploited two distinct effects to enhance the sensitivity: (i) the concentration effect due to the presence of the superhydrophobic surface that conveys molecules dispersed in solution directly inside the focus of a FTIR spectromicroscope; (ii) the plasmonic resonance of the nanoantenna array that provides electromagnetic field enhancement in the amide I and II spectral region (1500-1700 cm(-1)). We demonstrate the detection of ferritin in the nanomolar concentration range, a blood protein that is usually available in small amounts in typical blood samples.

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Nanostructures / chemistry
  • Protein Array Analysis
  • Proteins / analysis*
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared*

Substances

  • Proteins