The discovery of dielectrophoresis (DEP) goes all the way back to at least 600 B.C., when Thales of Miletus in Turkey observed that rubbed amber attracted small particles of fluff. The induced dipole in the fluff particles was acted on by the electric fields, attracting it to the charged amber. This effect can be referred to as (dc) positive dielectrophoresis. One of the most promising applications of dielectrophoresis in nanotechnology is the possible electronic manipulation of individual molecules. Herein a 100 nm scale water transistor is described. The structure can both capture proteins and measure the proteolytic activity of enzymes such as glucose oxidase.

This nanoscale structure has earlier been characterized [1]. Herein enzymes are introduced to the structure in order to push the limits for new types of enzyme nano sized biosensors. A nano sized enzyme biosensor exhibits much lower reaction volumes than conventional technologies. Electron-beam lithography will be a promising rout to biosensor fabrication. This novel device is demonstrated on glucose, using glucoseoxidase, however it opens up the possibility to study any proteolytic enzymereaction in sub femtoliter reaction volumes.

[1] Z. G. Chiragwandi, O. Nur, M. Willander, N. Calander, Appl. Phys. Lett., 83 (2003) 5310.

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