Infrared graphene biosensors
Infrared sensors are particularly useful for research as chemical information is obtained non-destructively, while being completely label-free. The GRYPHON (Tunable graphene nanostructures for plasmon-enhanced infrared spectroscopy) initiative utilised graphene to improve infrared spectroscopy performance. A recent discovery, graphene is two-dimensional with a hexagonal honeycomb lattice made up of single layer carbon atoms. Researchers employed different techniques for graphene biosensor fabrication, including electromagnetic simulation and nanofabrication of graphene plasmonic nanostructures. A first, researchers fabricated the infrared graphene biosensor using chemical vapour deposition, a technique enabling low-cost large-scale production of graphene. Through vibrational signals, this sensor could detect and sense protein molecules while graphene tunability extended the spectral range of the sensor. Comparisons with state-of-the-art metal-based technology revealed the greater sensitivity and spectral selectivity of graphene plasmons. Impressive is the fact that this preliminary version of their graphene sensor already demonstrates superior performance than the current gold standard. Another plus is the electrostatic tunability of graphene conductivity. GRYPHON study findings should facilitate research in biology, materials science and chemistry. Commercialisation of graphene biosensors would significantly impact several industrial sectors, including clinical diagnostics, food safety, forensics and environmental monitoring.
Keywords
Graphene biosensors, materials science, GRYPHON, infrared spectroscopy, chemical vapour deposition
