Porous nanostructures and methods involving the same
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsMichael J. Sailor, Gaurav Abbi, Boyce E. Collins, Keiki-Pua S. Dancil
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Abstract
A method for simultaneously detecting and separating a target analyte such as a protein or other macromolecule that includes providing a porous silicon matrix on the silicon substrate, exposing the porous silicon matrix to an environment suspect of containing the target analyte, observing optical reflectivity of the porous silicon matrix; and correlating the changes in the silicon substrate to the target analyte.
Claims17
A method for simultaneously detecting and separating a target analyte comprising:
- forming a porous silicon matrix by electrochemically etching a silicon substrate using an asymmetric electrode configuration to create the porous silicon matrix, wherein the porous silicon matrix has a lateral pore gradient including an approximately linear distribution of pore sizes;
- exposing the porous silicon matrix to an environment suspected of containing the target analyte;
- observing optical reflectivity of the porous silicon matrix;
- and
- correlating changes in observed optical reflectivity to the target analyte.
A method for simultaneously detecting and separating a target analyte comprising:
- forming a porous silicon matrix with lateral pore gradient including an approximately linear distribution of pore sizes by creating an etching current density gradient across a silicon substrate;
- exposing the porous silicon matrix to an environment suspected of containing the target analyte;
- observing optical reflectivity of the porous silicon matrix;
- and
- correlating changes in observed optical reflectivity to the target analyte;
- wherein said step of creating an etching current density gradient comprises:
- placing the silicon substrate in an etching solution;
- disposing a counter electrode in the etching solution at a distance from a surface or surface portion of the silicon substrate to be etched, the counter electrode being aligned proximate an edge of the surface or surface portion of the silicon substrate to be etched;
- and
- applying power potential between the silicon surface and the counter electrode to create the etching current density gradient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.