Targeted Sub-Attomole Cancer Biomarker Detection Based on Phase Singularity 2D Nanomaterial-Enhanced Plasmonic Biosensor

• Published in: Nano-micro letters Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 96 - 11
• Main Authors: Wang, Yuye, Zeng, Shuwen, Crunteanu, Aurelian, Xie, Zhenming, Humbert, Georges, Ma, Libo, Wei, Yuanyuan, Brunel, Aude, Bessette, Barbara, Orlianges, Jean-Christophe, Lalloué, Fabrice, Schmidt, Oliver G., Yu, Nanfang, Ho, Ho-Pui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Nature Singapore 01.12.2021; Springer Nature B.V; OAHOST; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: 2D nanomaterials; Absorptivity; Biomarkers; Biomedical materials; Biosensors; Cancer; Cancer marker detection; Dimensional changes; Engineering; Engineering Sciences; Low molecular weights; Molecular weight; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Optics; Phase singularity; Photonic; Plasmonics; Position sensing; Singularities; Substrates; Surface plasmon; 2D nanomaterials; Cancer marker detection; Surface plasmon; Phase singularity
• ISSN: 2311-6706; 2150-5551; 2150-5551
• DOI: 10.1007/s40820-021-00613-7

Highlights A zero-reflection-induced phase singularity is achieved through precisely controlling the resonance characteristics using two-dimensional nanomaterials. An atomically thin nano-layer having a high absorption coefficient is exploited to enhance the zero-reflection dip, which has led to the subsequent phase singularity and thus a giant lateral position shift. We have improved the detection limit of low molecular weight molecules by more than three orders of magnitude compared to current state-of-art nanomaterial-enhanced plasmonic sensors. Detection of small cancer biomarkers with low molecular weight and a low concentration range has always been challenging yet urgent in many clinical applications such as diagnosing early-stage cancer, monitoring treatment and detecting relapse. Here, a highly enhanced plasmonic biosensor that can overcome this challenge is developed using atomically thin two-dimensional phase change nanomaterial. By precisely engineering the configuration with atomically thin materials, the phase singularity has been successfully achieved with a significantly enhanced lateral position shift effect. Based on our knowledge, it is the first experimental demonstration of a lateral position signal change > 340 μm at a sensing interface from all optical techniques. With this enhanced plasmonic effect, the detection limit has been experimentally demonstrated to be 10 –15  mol L −1 for TNF-α cancer marker, which has been found in various human diseases including inflammatory diseases and different kinds of cancer. The as-reported novel integration of atomically thin Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 with plasmonic substrate, which results in a phase singularity and thus a giant lateral position shift, enables the detection of cancer markers with low molecular weight at femtomolar level. These results will definitely hold promising potential in biomedical application and clinical diagnostics.