Nanowire sensors ‘a step closer’ to commercialisation
1 min read
The Institute of Microelectronics (IME) and the University of Illinois have entered into a research collaboration focused on identifying and defining ground rules for the optimisation of nanowire sensor design and the techniques for batch fabrication.
Both institutes are hoping their discoveries will pave the way for improved nanosensor stability and device reproducibility. The technology is said to be a significant step closer to commercialisation in point of care systems, a market expected to be worth over $22.5billion in 2013.
"The interdisciplinary nature of cancer nanotechnology makes selecting a research partner a tenuous affair, as few R&D establishments possess the necessary breadth and depth of expertise and capabilities," said Illinois' principal investigator for this project, Professor Rashid Bashir, pictured. "IME came immediately to mind because of the field leading research it conducts through its Bioelectronics Programme."
Due to their exceptional sensitivity, silicon nanowire sensors are an effective means of electronic biomolecule detection. However, the principles governing the design of nanowire sensors are still unclear, which has hampered further efforts at design optimisation.
"Despite the technological advances made to nanowire sensors in recent times, a number of critical unknowns remain - such as the influence of the surrounding environment and electrostatic screening on nanowire sensor performance," said Dr Chen Yu, principal investigator for IME's Bioelectronics Programme.
"Our collaboration with Illinois will seek to provide the answers to all the lingering questions about nanowire sensor design and fabrication that have thus far hindered the research community's attempts at achieving consistent and reproducible results."
