The present invention discloses a biosensor for visual detection of an analyte, based on the light to heat conversion properties of metal nanoparticles: the analyte is visually detected by the color change in the support areas (where the analyte is present), produced as a result of the heat generated by the metal nanoparticles where they are irradiated with an external light source. Use of said biosensor in a method for the detection of analytes is also claimed.

A semiconductor device including a semiconductor layer that includes an active region, semiconductor elements that are formed using the active region, connection regions that are obtained by metalizing parts of the semiconductor layer in an island shape isolated from the active region, an insulation film that is formed to cover one main surface side of the semiconductor layer, electrodes that are disposed to face the semiconductor elements and the connection regions via the insulation film, and contacts that penetrate through the insulation film to be selectively formed in portions according to necessity among portions that connect the semiconductor elements or the connection regions to the electrodes.

The discrimination ability of a chemical sensing cross-reactive arrays is enhanced by constructing sensing elements in two dimensions, first in the x-y plane of the substrate, second in the z dimension so that the sensors are vertically stacked on top of one another. Stacking sensing elements on top of one another adds to the discrimination ability by enabling the characteristic measurement of how fast target chemicals are passing through the stack of sensors. The new invention also allows the ability to discriminate components in a sample mixture by separating them using their innate difference in diffusional rates. Multi-sensor response patterns at each z level of sensors and time delay information from the sample passing from one level to the next are used to generate the response vector. The response vector is used to identify individual component samples and components in a mixture sample.

Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to transmit energy to a nanofiber sampling coil and/or a nanofiber reference coil. Further activity may include receiving the energy as modified by evanescent interaction with a sampled material located proximate to the sampling coil and/or as modified by propagation through the reference coil, and comparing the energy modified by evanescent interaction with the energy modified by propagation through the reference coil to determine a spectroscopic property of the sampled material. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods, including the use of nanofibers and fluorescence induced by evanescent radiation to conduct spectroscopic analysis, are disclosed.

Systems and methods for high-throughput processing of assay plates include a calibration nanoparticle to facilitate automated focusing of the imaging system. An assay plate includes a base layer, a transparent layer in contact with the base layer, and at least one calibration nanoparticle having a pre-defined size immobilized on the assay plate surface. The assay plate surface can be functionalized to selectively bind to biological targets. The assay plate can be used in an imaging system for high-throughput autofocus and biological target detection.

The disclosure relates to a device for single molecule detection. The device includes a chamber having an inputting hole and an outputting hole, a carrier including a substrate and a metal layer located on the substrate, a detection device, and a controlling computer. The carrier includes a substrate and a metal layer on the substrate, wherein the substrate includes a base and a patterned bulge located on a surface of the base, the patterned bulge includes a number of strip-shaped bulges intersected with each other to form a net and define a number of holes, and the metal layer is located on the patterned bulge. The carrier for single molecule detection has a relative higher SERS and can enhance the Raman scattering.

A digital quantum dot radiographic detection system described herein includes: a scintillation subsystem 202 and a semiconductor light detection subsystem 200, 200 (including a plurality of quantum dot image sensors 200a, 200b). In a first preferred digital quantum dot radiographic detection system, the plurality of quantum dot image sensors 200 is in substantially direct contact with the scintillation subsystem 202. In a second preferred digital quantum dot radiographic detection system, the scintillation subsystem has a plurality of discrete scintillation packets 212a, 212b, at least one of the discrete scintillation packets communicating with at least one of the quantum dot image sensors. The quantum dot image sensors 200 may be associated with semiconductor substrate 210 made from materials such as silicon (and variations thereof) or graphene.

Systems and methods are described that relate to an optical system including an image sensor optically-coupled to at least one nanophotonic element. The image sensor may include a plurality of superpixels. Each respective superpixel of the plurality of superpixels may include at least a respective first pixel and a respective second pixel. The at least one nanophotonic element may have an optical phase transfer function and may include a two-dimensional arrangement of sub-wavelength regions of a first material interspersed within a second material, the first material having a first index of refraction and the second material having a second index of refraction. The nanophotonic element is configured to direct light toward individual superpixels in the plurality of superpixels, and to direct light toward the first or second pixel in each individual superpixel based on a wavelength dependence or a polarization dependence of the optical phase transfer function.

A gas detection device comprising a light emitting source including a first plurality of quantum dots of substantially discrete size and made of a semiconductor material a gas cell to contain the gas to be detected and a light detector.

Methods of preparing a dispersion of colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) for use as NC thin films are disclosed. A dispersion of NCs capped with ligands may be mixed with a solution containing chalcogenocyanate (xCN)-based ligands. The mixture may be separated into a supernatant and a flocculate. The flocculate may be dispersed with a solvent to form a subsequent dispersion of NCs capped with xCN-based ligands.