Ferroelectric Bi2O2Te-Based Plasmonic Biosensor for Ultrasensitive Biomolecular Detection

Small. 2024 Mar 27:e2312175. doi: 10.1002/smll.202312175. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Ultrasensitive detection of biomarkers, particularly proteins, and microRNA, is critical for disease early diagnosis. Although surface plasmon resonance biosensors offer label-free, real-time detection, it is challenging to detect biomolecules at low concentrations that only induce a minor mass or refractive index change on the analyte molecules. Here an ultrasensitive plasmonic biosensor strategy is reported by utilizing the ferroelectric properties of Bi2O2Te as a sensitive-layer material. The polarization alteration of ferroelectric Bi2O2Te produces a significant plasmonic biosensing response, enabling the detection of charged biomolecules even at ultralow concentrations. An extraordinary ultralow detection limit of 1 fm is achieved for protein molecules and an unprecedented 0.1 fm for miRNA molecules, demonstrating exceptional specificity. The finding opens a promising avenue for the integration of 2D ferroelectric materials into plasmonic biosensors, with potential applications spanning a wide range.

Keywords: 2D materials; Bi2O2Te; biosensor; ferroelectric property; plasmonic imaging.