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Updated: May 7, 2026
Preparation of Silicon Nanowire Field-effect Transistor for Chemical and Biosensing Applications
Published on: April 21, 2016
Highly sensitive covalently functionalised integrated silicon nanowire biosensor devices for detection of cancer risk
M A Mohd Azmi1, Z Tehrani, R P Lewis
1College of Engineering, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK; University Kuala Lumpur, British Malaysian Institute, Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia.
Abstract:
In this article we present ultra-sensitive, silicon nanowire (SiNW)-based biosensor devices for the detection of disease biomarkers. An electrochemically induced functionalisation method has been employed to graft antibodies targeted against the prostate cancer risk biomarker 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) to SiNW surfaces. The antibody-functionalised SiNW sensor has been used to detect binding of the 8-OHdG biomarker to the SiNW surface within seconds of exposure. Detection of 8-OHdG concentrations as low as 1 ng/ml (3.5 nM) has been demonstrated. The active device has been bonded to a disposable printed circuit which can be inserted into an electronic readout system as part of an integrated Point of Care (POC) diagnostic. The speed, sensitivity and ease of detection of biomarkers using SiNW sensors render them ideal for eventual POC diagnostics.
