Silicon Nitride-BP-Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Highly Sensitive Biosensor for Virus SARS-CoV-2 Detection

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Biosensing

Background:

• Rapid and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for pandemic control.
• Existing biosensing technologies face challenges in sensitivity and speed.
• Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) offers label-free detection capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel SPR-based biosensor for fast SARS-CoV-2 detection.
• To investigate the performance of hybrid materials including silicon nitride and black phosphorus.
• To compare different material configurations for optimal sensing performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an SPR biosensor on a BK-7 prism base.
• Deposition of silver (Ag), silicon nitride (Si3N4), and black phosphorus (BP) in various configurations.
• Utilizing thiol-tethered DNA as a ligand for SARS-CoV-2 capture.
• Analysis of sensor performance using the Transfer Matrix Method (TMM).

Main Results:

• Three distinct sensor configurations (Ag, Si3N4, and BP combinations) were analyzed.
• The hybrid configuration of Ag, Si3N4, and BP exhibited the highest sensitivity (154°/RIU).
• This configuration demonstrated enhanced performance for SARS-CoV-2 detection compared to others.

Conclusions:

• The proposed SPR biosensor utilizing a hybrid of Ag, Si3N4, and BP shows significant potential for rapid SARS-CoV-2 detection.
• This hybrid material approach offers a promising pathway for developing advanced diagnostic tools.
• The study facilitates the creation of new sensing devices for viral pathogen identification.