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

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在开发一种新型的纳米设备，用于单个、单个(生物)分子的无标签检测和识别。一种独特的纳米制造技术已经被开发出来，用于低成本和可靠地制造与等离子体纳米结构集成的微/纳米流体电路。这些成分的成功结合将使光和液体在纳米尺度上受到限制，从而能够表征沿着等离子体热点逐个流动的单个分子。这项技术将使单分子的检测和鉴定取得突破，通过消除标记的需要，极大地简化样品准备。第一阶段的工作将集中在使用纳米通道/纳米天线系统来探测微小体积物质(L 10^-21)的拉曼信号。这将作为第二阶段开发具有芯片读出能力的全面集成系统的基础，用于检测淡水中的毒素。这一项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力在于传感器的新颖性和多功能性，它将能够在不需要标签的情况下检测、区分和分析单个分子。此外，该系统将是便携式的，与芯片上的读出能力完全集成，并且需要非常小的样本量(大约几微升)。第一个被瞄准的市场是用于水控制的环境监测：该设备将用于实时检测淡水中毒素的浓度，并跟踪它们随时间的演变。一旦便携式芯片上单个生物分子的无标签检测和识别被证明，其应用将扩展到生物医学和医疗保健市场。第一阶段的研究结果将为制造各种全集成、超灵敏、便携、无标记的生物传感器开辟一条新的路线。

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.