Biological systems contain a multitude of molecules with specific functions and three-dimensional shapes that enable
them to selectively interact with other molecules in a coordinated fashion. Engineering, on the other hand, has produced
devices that operate on the micron-scale and that combine electronic and mechanical systems. Microelectromechanical
Systems (MEMS) offer advantages such as the integration of a variety of functions into a single device (i.e. "lab-on-a-chip"
platforms) and portability for "point-of-care" diagnostics. This study utilizes a microscale electrochemical sensor
for detecting BoNT apatamer hybridization, in which we first used top-down lithographic processing to define the
pattern of the electrodes and then used bottom-up manufacturing to modify the surface molecular properties for reducing
non-specific binding.
The goal was to systemically examine the effects of the design parameters of an electrochemical DNA sensor. Four key
design parameters were examined: the area of the working electrode, the area of the counter electrode, the separation
distance between the working and counter electrodes, and the overlap length between the working and counter
electrodes. Through a log-log analysis of the current generated, representing the signal or noise, across variations of the
different parameters, the significance of each parameter in sensor performance was determined. We found that the area
of the working electrode was important in the performance optimization of the sensor, while the performance seemed to
be independent of the other three parameters. The output signal level increased with the area of the working electrode
and the signal-to-noise ratio was about constant in the tested range.
Current microfabrication technologies rely on top-down, photolithographic techniques that are ultimately
limited by the wavelength of light. While systems for nanofabrication do exist, they frequently suffer from
high costs and slow processing times, creating a need for a new manufacturing paradigm. The combination
of top-down and bottom-up fabrication approaches in device construction creates a new paradigm in micro- and
nano-manufacturing. The pre-requisite for the realization of the manufacturing paradigm relies on the
manipulation of molecules in a deterministic and controlled manner. The use of AC electrokinetic forces,
such as dielectrophoresis (DEP) and AC electroosmosis, is a promising technology for manipulating nano-sized
particle in a parallel fashion. A three-electrode micro-focusing system was designed to expoit this
forces in order to control the spatial distribution of nano-particles in different frequency ranges. Thus far, we
have demonstrated the ability to concentrate 40 nm and 300 nm diameter particles using a 50 μm diameter
focusing system. AC electroosmotic motion of the nano-particles was observed while using low frequencies
(in a range of 30 Hz - 1 KHz). By using different frequencies and changing the ground location, we have
manipulated the nano-particles into circular band structures with different width, and focused the nanoparticles
into circular spots with different diameters. Currently, we are in the progress of optimizing the
operation parameters (e.g. frequency and AC voltages) by using the technique of particle image velocimetry
(PIV). In the future, design of different electrode geometries and the numerical simulation of electric field
distribution will be carried out to manipulate the nano-particles into a variety of geometries.
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