SBIR Phase I: Label-free, raman-on-chip sensor for single molecule analysis of biotoxins in fresh water

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在开发一种新型的纳米器件，用于无标记检测和识别单个（生物）分子。一种独特的纳米制造技术已经被开发用于与等离子体纳米结构集成的微/纳米流体电路的低成本和可靠的制造。这些组件的成功组合将允许光和液体在纳米级的限制，允许单个分子沿着等离子体热点一个接一个地流动的特征。 该技术将实现单分子检测和识别的突破，通过消除标记的需要大大简化样品制备。 第一阶段的工作将集中在使用纳米通道/纳米天线系统来检测被限制在微小体积（10^-21 L）中的物质的拉曼信号。这将作为一个完全集成的系统的开发与芯片上读出能力的基础，用于检测淡水中的毒素在第二阶段。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于传感器的新奇和多功能性，这将能够检测，区分和分析单个分子，而不需要标签。此外，该系统将是便携式的，完全集成了芯片上的读出能力，并将需要非常小的样品体积（在几微升的数量级）。第一个目标市场是用于水控制的环境监测：该设备将用于真实的实时检测淡水中的毒素浓度，并跟踪其随时间的演变。一旦在便携式芯片上对单个生物分子进行无标记检测和识别，其应用将扩展到生物医学和即时护理市场。第一阶段的研究结果将为制造各种完全集成、超灵敏、便携式、无标记的生物传感器开辟一条新的途径。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to develop a novel type of nanodevice for label-free detection and identification of single, individual (bio)molecules. A unique nanomanufacturing technology has been developed for low-cost and reliable fabrication of micro/nanofluidic circuitry integrated with plasmonic nanostructures. Successful combination of these components will allow the confinement of light and liquid at the nanoscale, allowing the characterization of individual molecules flowing one-by-one along a plasmonic hot spot. This technology will enable a breakthrough in the detection and identification of single molecules, drastically simplifying the sample preparation by removing the need for labeling. The Phase I work will focus on the use of the nanochannel/nanoantenna system to detect the Raman signal of substances confined in tiny volumes (10^-21 L). This will serve as the basis for the development of a fully integrated system with on-chip read out capabilities for detection of toxins in fresh water in Phase II.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project lies in the novelty and versatility of the sensor, which will be able to detect, discriminate and analyze individual molecules without the need for labels. Even further, the system will be portable, fully integrated with on-chip read out capabilities, and will require very small sample volumes (on the order of a few microliters). The first market to be targeted is environmental monitoring for water control: the device will be used to detect in real time the concentration of toxins in fresh water, and to track their evolution over time. Once the label-free detection and identification of single biomolecules on a portable chip is demonstrated, the applications will be expanded to the biomedical and point-of-care markets. The results of the research in Phase I will open a new route for the fabrication of a large variety of fully-integrated, ultrasensitive, portable, label-free biosensors.