Nanolithography and subnanomolecular interactions for biomimetic sensors

Template-directed moulding of polymer thin films is performed to generate artificial receptors directly on pre-coated piezoacoustic devices and interdigital capacitors (IDCs). This generally applicable approach is useful for the fabrication of robust nano- and microstructured sensor coatings. Exemplary label-free detection results of yeast and mammalian cells are shown with these biomimetic receptors allowing even single cell detection. Grid electrodes were applied to quartz crystal microbalances (QCM) screening the dielectric properties of viable Saccharomyces cerevisiae and unusual non-gravimetric frequency shifts are observed. Autocorrelation analysis of capacitive responses to yeast cells yields characteristic time constants related to cell trapping by the sensor surface.