Revolutionizing Biosensing with Quantum Physics!

Imagine a biosensor that doesn't need any external light source to detect the tiniest of substances! Researchers at EPFL's School of Engineering have achieved just that, using the wonders of quantum physics. By leveraging a quirky phenomenon known as inelastic electron tunneling, they've created a cutting-edge biosensor that utilizes a mere flow of electrons to both illuminate and identify molecules.

How Does It Work?

The secret lies in treating electrons as waves rather than particles. These waves can tunnel through an ultra-thin insulating barrier and emit light in the process. As Mikhail Masharin, a researcher involved in the project, explains, they've engineered a unique nanostructure that optimizes this tunneling effect, significantly boosting light emission.

Detecting the Unimaginable: One Trillionth of a Gram!

In a remarkable feat, their technology can detect substances like amino acids and polymers at concentrations as low as a picogram—one trillionth of a gram! This sensitivity places their sensor among the elite, right beside the most advanced detection tools available today, as highlighted by lab head Hatice Altug.

The Power of a Dual-Function Metasurface!

At the core of this innovation is a dual-purpose nanostructure. The gold layer acts as a metasurface, designed to promote quantum tunneling and manage light emission. Arranged in a mesh of nanowires, these ‘nanoantennas’ concentrate light at nearly molecular scales, making detection incredibly efficient.

According to Jihye Lee, a former researcher on the project now working with Samsung Electronics, the challenge of harnessing a low-probability event like inelastic electron tunneling over a large area allows them to gather enough photons for promising biosensing applications.

Compact, Scalable, and Ready for the Future!

This groundbreaking quantum platform, developed at EPFL's Center of MicroNanoTechnology, is not just sensitive and compact but also scalable and easy to integrate into manufacturing processes. With sensing areas of less than a square millimeter, the potential for handheld biosensors is tantalizing, moving away from bulky setups currently in use.

A New Era in High-Performance Sensing!

This innovation delivers a fully integrated sensor that combines light generation and detection on one chip. With potential applications spanning point-of-care diagnostics to identifying environmental hazards, this sophisticated technology marks a new milestone in the world of high-performance sensing systems, according to researcher Ivan Sinev.

Get ready for a future where detecting even the smallest biological traces is as easy as a single chip!