Sensors that are able to gauge the electrical properties of single molecules may turn out to be excellent diagnostic devices able to spot microbes and biomarkers of disease. Turns out that there’s been a barrier to making such devices because simply sticking a molecule to an electrical sensor introduces noise from the sensor itself and masks the properties of the molecule being measured. Now researchers at University of Limerick in Ireland have reported in journal Nature Materials on a way to slightly separate the molecules from the sensors while keeping them close enough for electrical analysis.
The technique involves adding silicone oil to the molecules being studied and placing the mixture onto a one atom thick layer of alkanes. The oil works to slow down molecules moving across the surface of the sensor, while the alkanes keep the molecules at a perfect distance for the sensor to do its thing.
The researchers believe the technology may herald a new generation of diagnostic devices capable of detecting HIV, the common cold, and yes, everyone’s current favorite, Ebola.
Study in Nature Materials: Nanoelectrical analysis of single molecules and atomic-scale materials at the solid/liquid interface…
University of Limerick: Drive-through diagnostics – making diagnosis more accurate and less expensive…