AuNP/SiNW Composites-based Field-Effect Devices for Biosensing Applications

Nanomaterials have become popularly employed in biological applications such as biosensors, biomedical diagnostics and therapy due to their unique physical properties, large surface area and good biocompatibility. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are among the most popularly used nanomaterials for biosensor applications.

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In this study, we synthesize hybrid nanostructures comprising of AuNPs embedded onto 1D silicon nanowire (SiNW ) and explore their applications in biosensing. Functionalization of Si NWs with small AuNPs may show in future promising advantages in biosensing devices . This kind of modification of SiNW, by gold NPs decoration, may improve the sensitivity and the specificity of SiNW-based Field Effect Transistor (FET) devices. Additionally, small gold nanoparticles could be used as a nanocapacitor elements, to store charge formed during biosensing processes and eventually serving as nanogating elements. In this work we demonstrate the use of Au/SiNW hybrid composites for the sensing of glucose.