SPM-Based Nanolithography for (Bio)Sensors

Levi Gheber, Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel (glevi@bgu.ac.il)

Nano-Fountain Pen (NFP) is a scanning-probe microscopy (SPM) based method capable of fabricating nanometric structures of biomaterials and polymers [1-3]. Using NFP, we have studied the problem of miniaturizing the active site of biosensors, while maintaining a high signal to noise ratio (SNR); as a result, we have been able to advance the understanding of the fundamental problems involved and provide solutions, thus achieving high sensitivity and specificity with active sites ~ 400 nm in diameter [4].

We will elaborate on the nature of the problems involved in miniaturization, their inter-dependencies, and ways to overcome (some of) them.

1. Taha, H., et al., Applied Physics Letters, 2003. 83(5): p. 1041-1043.

2. Ionescu, R.E., R.S. Marks, and L.A. Gheber, Nano Letters, 2003. 3(12): p. 1639-1642.

3. Ionescu, R.E., R.S. Marks, and L.A. Gheber, Nano Letters, 2005. 5(5): p. 821-827.

4. Tsarfati-BarAd, I., et al., Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2011. 26(9): p. 3774-3781.

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Short Biography of Presenting Author

After obtaining his Ph.D. in Physics in 1995, studying the metal-semiconductor interface with STM, Levi Gheber spent 4 years in the biology department at Johns Hopkins University, specializing in biophysics of cell membrane with near-field scanning optical microscopy. In 1999 he joined the Department of Biotechnology Engineering at Ben-Gurion University, where the lab he has been leading since, studies approaches to miniaturization of biochips, using SPM-based nanotechnology tools. Dr. Gheber has published numerous articles in Nanoletters, Appl. Phys. Letters., Biophys. J., as well as book chapters in "Handbook of Biosensors", "Encyclopedia of Microfluidics and Nanofluidics" and "Biological applications of Microfluidics". He has served as Editorial Board Member for Biophysical Journal and is currently serving on the editorial board of Scientific Reports. Prof. Gheber is currently serving as the Chairman of the Department of Biotechnology Engineering.