Bio-Functionalization Laboratory
A dedicated laboratory with a class-10,000 clean room is used for bio-functionalization processes. A nanoscale biosensor contains a force-detection element, which is typically a suspended nanomechanical structure. The other important part of the biosensor is the biosensing element, which is typically a nanoscale area on the nanomechanical structure, coated with a biomaterial for binding to a specific biomolecule. The aspect of selectively coating the nanomechanical sensor with biomaterial is called bio-functionalization. This lab contains a laminar-flow hood and a fume hood in addition to other instruments for the wet chemistry involved in bio-functionalization.
A second type of biomolecular recognition in the nanometer scale involves the measurement of the conductance change of a nanowire in presence of a specific biomolecule in the solvent. These experiments involve, in addition to the fabrication of the nanowire, a number of other instruments and labs, including probe station, atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope and other electrical characterization devices.