Optical biosensing platform utilizing nanocrystalline zinc oxide

• US 20090068755A1
• Filed: 02/11/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: USA As Represented By The Secretary of The Army
• Original Assignee: USA As Represented By The Secretary of The Army
• Inventors: Soares, Jason W., Steeves, Diane M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,114,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/172
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6489 Photoluminescence of semiconductors

Abstract

An optical biosensing platform for the real-time detection of the occurrence of a binding event, the optical biosensing platform comprising a nanocrystalline zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) substrate having a surface and being capable of emitting photoluminescence and a surface modifier formed integral with at least a portion of the surface of the nano-ZnO substrate, wherein the surface modifier is capable of binding to a biomolecule and wherein when the surface modifier binds with a biomolecule, a change is induced in the emitted photoluminescent properties of the nano-ZnO substrate, thereby enabling the detection of a binding event.

Claims

1. An optical biosensing platform for the real-time detection of the occurrence of a binding event, the optical biosensing platform comprising:

a nanocrystalline zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) substrate having a surface and being capable of emitting photoluminescence; and

a surface modifier formed integral with at least a portion of the surface of the nano-ZnO substrate, wherein the surface modifier is capable of binding to a biomolecule;

wherein when the surface modifier binds with a biomolecule, a change is induced in the emitted photoluminescent properties of the nano-ZnO substrate, thereby enabling the detection of a binding event.

2. An optical biosensing platform according to claim 1 wherein the surface modifier comprises a silane cross-linking agent.

3. An optical biosensing platform according to claim 2 wherein the silane cross-linking agent is triethoxysilylundecanal.

4. An optical biosensing platform according to claim 1 wherein the biomolecule comprises at least one of the group consisting of antibodies, peptides, aptamers, pathogens, DNA, enzymes, proteins, cells, lipopolysaccharides, fluorescent dye hydrazide-derivatives and biotin.

5. An optical biosensing platform according to claim 1 wherein the emitted photoluminescence is ultraviolet light.

6. An optical biosensing platform according to claim 1 wherein the emitted photoluminescence is visible light.

7. An optical biosensing platform according to claim 1 wherein the emitted photoluminescence is both ultraviolet and visible light.

8. An optical biosensing platform according to claim 1 wherein the change in the photoluminescent properties occurs in at least one of the group consisting of emission intensities, emission maxima shifts and peak proportionalities of the photoluminescent (PL) properties of the nano-ZnO substrate.

9. A method for detecting the occurrence of a binding event, the method comprising:

providing an optical biosensing platform comprising;

a nanocrystalline zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) substrate having a surface and being capable of emitting photoluminescence; and

a surface modifier formed integral with at least a portion of the surface of the nano-ZnO substrate, wherein the surface modifier is capable of binding to a specific biomolecule and further wherein when the surface modifier binds with a biomolecule, a change is induced in the emitted photoluminescent properties of the nano-ZnO substrate;

providing a sample which potentially contains at least one biomolecule capable of binding with the surface modifier; and

observing the nano-ZnO substrate to determine whether a change in the photoluminescent properties of nano-ZnO substrate has been induced, thereby enabling the detection of a binding event.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the change in the photoluminescent properties occurs in at least one of the group consisting of emission intensities, emission maxima shifts and peak proportionalities of the photoluminescent (PL) properties of the nano-ZnO substrate.

11. A method for manufacturing an optical biosensing platform for the real-time detection of the occurrence of a binding event, the method comprising:

providing a nanocrystalline zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) substrate having a surface and being capable of emitting photoluminescence; and

integrating the surface modifier with at least a portion of the surface of the nano-ZnO substrate, wherein the surface modifier is capable of binding to a specific biomolecule.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the surface modifier comprises a silane cross-linking agent.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the silane cross-linking agent is triethoxysilylundecanal.