2-Dimensional Materials for Performance Enhancement of Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor: Review Paper

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR)--based biosensors compete and excel among optical biosensors because of exceptional features such as high sensitivity, label-free, and real-time measurement, allowing the observation of molecular binding kinetics. In SPR biosensors and other biosensor techniques, surface functionalization and bioreceptor attachment are effective strategies to improve sensor performance. The application of an appropriate immobilization matrix for the bioreceptor is an essential step in maximizing the absorption of the bioreceptor on the sensor surface, thereby improving a specific target-sensor interaction. Furthermore, the materials should provide excellent optical properties to enhance the response signal. The high surface-to-volume ratio and high optical absorption of 2D materials qualify these requirements, thus promising advancements for SPR biosensors. This article reviews the recent SPR biosensor study with the use of the 2D materials family to improve the sensor performance, including graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), MXene, black phosphorus (BP), perovskite, and boron nitride (BN). The materials properties and enhancement mechanisms of different 2D materials are discussed comprehensively. This review was expected to provide a future perspective and design approach for 2D materials-based SPR biosensors

Beyond Graphene: Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides, A New Platform For Science

Following the isolation of graphene in 2004, scientists quickly showed that it possesses remarkable properties. However, as the scientific understanding of graphene matured, it became clear that it also has limitations: for example, graphene does not have a bandgap, making it poorly suited for use in digital logic. This motivated explorations of monolayer materials “beyond graphene”, which could embody functionalities that graphene lacks. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are leading candidates in this field. TMDs possess a wide variety of properties accessible through the choice of chalcogen atom, metal atom and atomic configuration (1H, 1T, and 1T’). Similar to graphene, monolayer TMDs may be produced on a small scale through mechanical exfoliation, but useful applications will require development of reliable methods for monolayer growth over large areas. In this thesis, I report our group’s recent progress in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of high quality, large area, monolayer TMDs under a 1H atomic configuration, which were integrated into high-quality biosensor arrays. These devices were incorporated in a flexible platform and were used for electronic read out of binding events of molecular targets in both vapor and liquid phases. I also report our findings on the CVD growth of monolayer TMDs in the 1T’ atomic configuration and measurements of their physical properties. 1T’ TMDs have been labeled the holy grail of materials due to theoretical predictions that they are 2D topological insulators; however they remain relatively unexplored due to the difficulty of monolayer growth and their lack of stability in air. Through careful passivation techniques, we were able to stabilize the as-grown monolayer 1T’ TMD flakes and perform the first characterizations on the structure. Lastly, in-plane 2D TMD heterostructures are promising material systems that combine the unique properties of each TMD. I discuss our results on the synthesis and study of 1H TMD heterostructures and unique 1H/1T’ TMD heterostructures. TMDs, with its many different accessible physical properties, coupled with the large variety of applications, have been classified as the leading nanomaterials in the realm “beyond graphene”

BIOSENSOR DEVICES BASED ON GRAPHENE AND 2D MATERIALS

Nanomaterials offered new improvements and developments to the bio-sensing field due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Unique and exceptional electronic properties, such as the ultrahigh surface-to-volume ratio and the excellent electrical properties of the 2D materials like in graphene, making these materials promising for future smaller and faster electronics, but an extensive amount of research is still needed. This thesis is concerned with the study of the integration of 2D material graphene in the development of sensitive and rapid biosensors. The main objective of this thesis is to understand the features and characteristics of graphene, evaluate the scope of graphene in electronic biosensing, and design and analysis of biosensors based on graphene. Epitaxial growth of graphene is done using Gas Source Molecular-Beam Epitaxy (GSMBE) and Mono Methyl Silane (MMS) as a single-source gas on the 3CSiC (110) surface. A field-effect transistor was fabricated with this graphene as channel material using top gate technology. The change in output response of the fabricated sensor was evaluated by applying a biological solution RPMI to the graphene channel

Nano-grating assisted light absorption enhancement for msm-pds performance improvement: An updated review

The primary focus of this review article mainly emphasizes the light absorption enhancement for various nanostructured gratings assisted metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors (MSM-PDs) that are so far proposed and developed for the improvement of light capturing performance. The MSM-PDs are considered as one of the key elements in the optical and high-speed communication systems for applications such as faster optical fiber communication systems, sensor networks, high-speed chip-to-chip interconnects, and high-speed sampling. The light absorption enhancement makes the MSM-PDs an ideal candidate due to their excellent performances in detection, especially in satisfying the high-speed or high-performance device requirements. The nano-grating assisted MSM-PDs are preordained to be decorous for many emerging and existing communication device applications. There have been a significant number of research works conducted on the implementa-tion of nano-gratings, and still, more researches are ongoing to raise the performance of MSM-PDs particularly, in terms of enhancing the light absorption potentialities. This review article aims to provide the latest update on the exertion of nano-grating structures suitable for further developments in the light absorption enhancement of the MSM-PDs

Wavelength-selective metamaterial absorber and emitter

Electromagnetic absorbers and emitters have been attracting interest in lots of fields, which are significantly revitalized because of the novel properties brought by the development of the metamaterials, the artificially designed materials. Metamaterials broadens the approaches to design the electromagnetic absorbers and emitters, making it possible to obtain the perfect absorption or emission at the wavelengths covering a wide range. Metamaterial absorbers and emitters are promising for various applications, including solar thermal-photovoltaics and thermal-photovoltaics for energy harvesting, chemical and biomedical sensors, nanoscale imaging and color printing. This work focuses on three aspects (materials, structures and design methods) to improve the experiment realizations of visible and infrared absorbers and emitters. Firstly, this work investigates simple structures based on aluminum and tungsten materials for the metamaterial absorber and emitter, which results in the realization of the all-metal visible color printing with square resonators and wavelength selective mid-infrared absorber (emitter) with cross resonators, respectively. Secondly, we explore the thermal emission properties of the quasi-periodic metal-dielectric multilayer metamaterials, which show the ability of engineering emissivity by different lattice structures. Finally, this work demonstrates the use of micro-genetic algorithm to realize efficient design and optimization for broadband metasurface absorbers, as well as wavelength-selective metasurfaces with giant circular dichroism. This work is believed to facilitate the development and application of metamaterial absorbers and emitters --Abstract, page iv

Losses in plasmonics: from mitigating energy dissipation to embracing loss-enabled functionalities

Unlike conventional optics, plasmonics enables unrivalled concentration of optical energy well beyond the diffraction limit of light. However, a significant part of this energy is dissipated as heat. Plasmonic losses present a major hurdle in the development of plasmonic devices and circuits that can compete with other mature technologies. Until recently, they have largely kept the use of plasmonics to a few niche areas where loss is not a key factor, such as surface enhanced Raman scattering and biochemical sensing. Here, we discuss the origin of plasmonic losses and various approaches to either minimize or mitigate them based on understanding of fundamental processes underlying surface plasmon modes excitation and decay. Along with the ongoing effort to find and synthesize better plasmonic materials, optical designs that modify the optical powerflow through plasmonic nanostructures can help in reducing both radiative damping and dissipative losses of surface plasmons. Another strategy relies on the development of hybrid photonic-plasmonic devices by coupling plasmonic nanostructures to resonant optical elements. Hybrid integration not only helps to reduce dissipative losses and radiative damping of surface plasmons, but also makes possible passive radiative cooling of nano-devices. Finally, we review emerging applications of thermoplasmonics that leverage Ohmic losses to achieve new enhanced functionalities. The most successful commercialized example of a loss-enabled novel application of plasmonics is heat-assisted magnetic recording. Other promising technological directions include thermal emission manipulation, cancer therapy, nanofabrication, nano-manipulation, plasmon-enabled material spectroscopy and thermo-catalysis, and solar water treatment.Comment: 43 pages, 18 figure

Tamm plasmon polariton in planar structures: A brief overview and applications

Tamm plasmon provides a new avenue in plasmonics of interface states in planar multilayer structures due to its strong light matter interaction. This article reviews the research and development in Tamm plasmon polariton excited at the interface of a metal and a distributed Bragg reflector. Tamm plasmon offers an easy planar solution compared to patterned surface plasmon devices with huge field enhancement at the interface and does not require of any phase matching method for its excitation. The ease of depositing multilayer thin film stacks, direct optical excitation, and high-Q modes make Tamm plasmons an attractive field of research with potential practical applications. The basic properties of the Tamm plasmon modes including its dispersion, effect of different plasmon active metals, coupling with other resonant modes and their polarization splitting, and tunability of Tamm plasmon coupled hybrid modes under externally applied stimuli have been discussed. The application of Tamm plasmon modes in lasers, hot electron photodetectors, perfect absorbers, thermal emitters, light emitting devices, and sensors have also been discussed in detail. This review covers all the major advancements in this field over the last fifteen years with special emphasis on the application part

Development and Modeling of a Biosensor Platform using AlGaN/GaN HEMT Devices

The history of biosensors began in 1962 with the invention of enzyme electrodes by Leland C. Clark. Since then, biosensors have come a long way with simultaneous contributions in various fields such as biology, chemistry, material science, electronics, physics and VLSI. With the advancement in science and technology, smaller, more sensitive and dependable biosensors have become a reality. Still the need for cost-effective, sophisticated, reliable, robust biosensors that can be used to detect multiple types of biomolecules remains a technological challenge to be resolved. The proposed AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) have excellent prospect to become the biosensor platform of the future, as is investigated in this work in contrast to other types of biosensors. These devices excel over their silicon counterparts because of their inherent properties such as chemically stable bulk and surface properties and the availability of high-density two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the hetero-interface which allows a highly sensitive detection of the surface-charge related phenomena. Using a floating gate configuration, only the drain current changes pertinent to biomolecule immobilization are observed. The test results are correlated with an analytical model which provides insight into the device physics. The high mobility and sensitivity inherent in its material system as well as device structure, robustness due to wide bandgap and system-level advantages make it the ultimate choice as a biosensor platform