Engineered thin-film nanomaterials for enhanced sensing

不断发展的纳米科学和纳米技术领域依赖于在越来越小的尺寸尺度上理解和控制材料的结构和性质。今天在这里开发的知识将引领未来的应用，这些应用可以利用现在可以常规生产的非常精细的表面和结构。该研究计划使用一种专门的技术来生产直径为数十至数百纳米的高纵横比（薄和高）材料柱。我们可以控制材料、柱形状、尺寸、密度和表面积。这些结构性质反过来影响光学或电学性质。这项资助支持的研究将研究我们的专业材料如何与环境相互作用。具体而言，我们的目标是将我们的材料作为先进化学传感器的基础。例如，作为一个长远的愿景，我们将能够利用我们的技术来检测和测量生物分子，这些生物分子在少量血液样本中的存在和浓度可以为医生提供关键的医疗诊断信息，然后医生可以为患者安排适当的治疗。通过利用阿尔伯塔大学已经拥有的优秀的专业知识和基础设施，这项研究将促进加拿大科学和技术的创新，并为微加工和纳米技术领域有前途的新研究人员提供培训机会。

The continually evolving field of nanoscience and nanotechnology relies on understanding and control of the structure and the properties of material at smaller and smaller size scales. The knowledge developed here today leads to applications of tomorrow which can exploit the extraordinary fine surfaces and structures that can now be produced routinely.This research program uses a specialised technique to produce high aspect ratio (thin and tall) columns of material on the order of tens to hundreds of nanometres in diameter. We can control material, column shape, size, density, and surface area. These structural properties in turn affect optical or electrical properties. The research supported by this grant will study how our specialty materials interact with their environment. Specifically, we aim to use our materials as the basis of advanced chemical sensors. For example, as a long-term vision, we will be able to use our technology to detect and measure biomolecules whose presence and concentration in small blood samples can provide critical medical diagnostic information to a doctor who can then order the appropriate treatment for the patient.By exploiting the excellent, built-up expertise and infrastructure already present at the University of Alberta, this research will foster innovation in Canadian science and technology and provide opportunities for training for promising new researchers in the field of microfabrication and nanotechnology.