GOALI: Role of surface area and quality factor on small molecule detection sensitivity

“该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。“智力优点：本提案的目的是量化表面积和质量因子对检测小分子灵敏度的相对重要性。虽然高质量（Q）因子谐振光学生物传感器需要更少的目标分子来进行检测，但如果没有足够的表面积，传感器捕获的分子数量仍低于检测阈值。在这项工作中，我们建立在过去十年中在制造极高Q因子光子晶体和PI最近引入的多孔缺陷（MHD）方面取得的快速进展的基础上，该多孔缺陷使光子晶体生物传感器的表面积能够变化，同时保持高Q因子。硅光子晶体传感器与独立可调的表面积和品质因数将进行理论和实验研究，以确定最有利的传感器性能的可变大小的生物分子的检测。 将建立指南，以建议何时引入增加的表面积将有利于传感器检测特定尺寸的生物分子。开发具有与硅电子器件单片集成能力的灵敏、可靠的生物传感器解决了即时诊断的关键需求。更广泛的影响：在医学诊断、基因组学和国土安全领域，对于开发能够检测多种毒素、DNA片段和其他小分子的可靠、灵敏的生物传感器阵列存在强烈的需求。拟议的研究为开发新的生物传感器和修改现有的传感器设计建立了基本规则，这将使小分子检测的灵敏度和通量能够快速，变革性的进步。 该计划的主要教育目标是让学生接触到IBM最先进的基础设施，并让他们有机会通过合作研究在工业研究环境中工作。 将通过实践推广活动促进K-12学生接受科学和工程高等教育的价值。一个互动的纳米科学展览突出光学，材料和生物现象将创建用于外展活动

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."Intellectual Merits: The objective of this proposal is to quantify the relative importance of surface area and quality factor on the sensitivity of detecting small molecules. While high quality (Q) factor resonant optical biosensors require fewer target molecules to be present for detection, without sufficient surface area the number of molecules captured by the sensor remains below the threshold for detection. In this work, we build on the rapid progress that has been made over the last decade in the fabrication of extremely high Q-factor photonic crystals and the PIs recent introduction of multi-hole defects (MHDs) that enable the surface area of photonic crystal biosensors to be varied while maintaining a high Q-factor. Silicon photonic crystal sensors with independently tunable surface area and quality factor will be theoretically and experimentally investigated to determine the most favorable sensor properties for the detection of variable-sized biomolecules. Guidelines will be established to suggest when the introduction of increased surface area will benefit sensors for the detection of specific sized biomolecules. The development of a sensitive, reliable biosensor with the capability of monolithic integration with silicon electronic devices addresses a critical need for point-of-care diagnostics. Broader Impacts: There is strong demand in medical diagnostics, genomics, and homeland security for the development of reliable, sensitive, biosensor arrays capable of detecting multiple toxins, DNA fragments, and other small molecules. The proposed research establishes ground rules for the development of new biosensors and the modification of existing sensor designs, which will enable rapid, transformative progress in the sensitivity and throughput of small molecule detection. A primary educational goal of this program is to expose students to state-of-the-art infrastructure at IBM and give them the opportunity to work in an industrial research setting through collaborative research. The value of higher education in science and engineering for K-12 students will be promoted through hands-on outreach activities. An interactive nanoscience exhibit highlighting optical, materials, and biological phenomena will be created for use at outreach events