Study on a terahertz biosensor based on graphene-metamaterial

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2022 Nov 5:280:121527. doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.121527. Epub 2022 Jun 18.

Abstract

The interaction between the terahertz wave propagating in free space and the sample is weak, which leads to the weak signal of the sample, which cannot meet the detection needs of trace samples. In order to meet the detection of trace samples, a kind of metamaterial absorber (the basic unit of the absorber is composed of gold-high resistance silicon-aluminum three-layer structure) is designed, and the monolayer graphene is transferred on the surface of the metamaterial absorber to construct the graphene-metamaterial absorber heterostructure. The transmission spectrum of the resonant cavity is simulated and measured by terahertz time domain spectroscopy system, and the obvious resonance frequency shift is observed. The results show that the graphene-metamaterial absorber heterostructure can detect josamycin antibiotic solution with concentration of 0.02 mg/L (the mass of josamycin is 0.2 ng). Compared with using the same structure metamaterial absorber to detect josamycin antibiotics, the sensitivity is increased by an order of magnitude. Using graphene-metamaterial heterostructure to detect the relative change of heterostructure reflectivity caused by josamycin antibiotics can reach 40%. The research in this paper provides a new technical means for accurate and rapid detection in terahertz band.

Keywords: Absorber; Graphene; Metamaterial; Terahertz.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Biosensing Techniques*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Graphite* / chemistry
  • Josamycin
  • Manufactured Materials
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Refractometry / methods
  • Scattering, Radiation

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Graphite
  • Josamycin