Contacts:

Dorota Kwasny dorota.kwasny@nanotech.dtu.dk

Kasper Bayer Frøhling kasba@nanotech.dtu.dk

Silicon Nanowire

Abstract:

Detecting specific DNA sequences using various biosensors has attracted a lot of attention in the last few years. Recently, silicon nanowires are being investigated for sensing of DNA hybridization. Since they are extremely sensitive to changes in surface charges it is possible to detect small single stranded DNA sequences binding to an immobilised complementary DNA probe on the surface. Several ways have been reported for the functionalisation of the inorganic surface to be used for biological measurements and the most common will be used in this project.

Aim of project:

The aim of the project is to make an existing silicon nanowire into a DNA sensor. Two surface functionalization approaches using APTES or click chemistry will be investigated in order to immobilize the DNA probe on the nanowire. The students’ task is to select the most reliable functionalization procedure and to optimize it using fluorescence microscopy as verification. Both multiple incubation times and concentration of different DNA strands needs to be optimised. Moreover, the immobilization and hybridization of the DNA will be monitored by impedance measurements.