Silicon nanowire microfluidic biosensor for multiplexed biomolecule detection

The integration of a microfluidic sample delivery chip with a silicon nanowire (SiNW) biosensor device for multiplexed biomolecule detection was demonstrated. The SiNWs and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chips were fabricated by complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility methods at a low cost. They were integrated together by using optimal O₂ plasma parameters that enabled rapid and leakage-free bond formation, without additional heating or applied pressure. The capillary action induced by the hydrophilicity of the channels using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was demonstrated to allow analyte solution delivery onto the sensor array directly, without the need of using external pumping devices. The multiplexed, real-time, and label-free electrical biomolecule detection was demonstrated with high sensitivity and selectivity. The novel detection approach enables simple and rapid multiplexed biomarker detection, showing great promise for application in point-of-care disease diagnostics.