SBIR Phase I: Functionalized Nanowire Chem/Bio SERS Optical Detectors

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to develop a novel biological and chemical agent detection system that utilizes optical resonances in nanowires to probe pathogenic species on the molecular and submolecular levels. The project will study the detection of pesticides using functionalized gold nanowire substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis. Arrays of high-aspect ratio nanowires will be engineered and functionalized to detect a target molecule. The project will combine the techniques of immunoassay, Raman spectroscopy, and nanoengineering, with the goal of developing a detector with unprecedented sensitivity. SERS is well a known and extremely accurate detection method that can be employed to identify single molecules, antigens, nucleic acid sequences and protein structure. The goal of the project is to develop enhanced nanowire SERS substrates for integration into a multiple channel fiber-optic nanowire heterostructure optical detector with diode pumped lasers and a charge coupled device sensor to make a rugged, compact, portable, highly accurate, and field -ready biological or chemical agent sensor. The commercial application of this project will be in the detection of low-level quantities of pathogenic chemical or biological agents in the environment. It will be used environmental monitoring, medical testing, and monitoring for release of biological weapons. The device is being designed to identify virtually any molecular or cellular species by its unique Raman signature.