• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.268.2-268.2
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• 2013

Nanogap interdigitated electrodes (NIDEs) can serve as an alternative platform for the biomolecular detection [1]. In this work, the NIDEs were adopted in a simple and sensitive detection of Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA). The NIDEs were fabricated by the combination of photo and chemical lithography. Photolithographically-defined initial gap of about 200 nm was narrowed down to a few tens of nanometers by surface-initiated growth of the initial electrodes (chemical lithography) [2]. Bare silicon oxide surface between the electrodes was chemically modified to immobilize capturing antibodies and, after exposure to the samples, the device was immersed in a solution containing the probe-antibody-conjugated Au nanoparticles (Au NPs). The conductance change accompanied with the Au NP immobilization was interpreted as the existence of PspA. Detection limit of the measurements and further improvement of the detection efficiency were discussed with the results from I-V analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.353.2-353.2
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• 2016

We studied electrochemical detection of Botulinum neurotoxin, Vaccinia virus, and Streptococcus Pneumoniae based on nanogap device. Target bio substances were employed as representative targets of protein, virus, and bacteria, respectively. Redox current generated by ferri/ferrocyanide as an electroactive probe was enhanced according to gap distance which was controlled by surface-catalyzed chemical deposition. We found that enhanced electrochemical signal leads more sensitive signal changes according to selective interaction of target and its complementary elements on the electrode or gap area. In case of Botulinum neurotoxin, the redox signal showed a time-dependent increase due to cleavage of the immobilized peptide which blocked redox cycling. Redox cycling was also hindered by Vaccinia virus and Streptococcus Pneumoniae which were selectively immobilized in the gap area.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.337-342
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• 2008

To date, many researchers have developed a variety of biosensors to detect the biomolecular interactions. Recently, electrochemical biosensors have been attracting great interest as one of key technologies in a ubiquitous healthcare (U-healthcare) system since they are highly sensitive and feasible to miniaturize. Here we overview the current electrochemical biosensors based on strip-type, nanowire/nanotube, field effect transistor (FET), and nanogap electrode.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.197-200
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• 2019

We report on electrochemical signal amplification using gap electrodes based on the redox cycling between gap electrodes. The distance between electrodes was controlled from $2{\mu}m$ to a few hundreds of nanometer by chemical deposition of reduced Au ion on the pre-defined electrodes. Enhanced redox current of ferri/ferrocyanide was obtained by redox cycling between the two working electrodes. The faradaic current is amplified about a thousand times in this redox system. Since the signal amplification is due to the shortened diffusion length between the two electrodes, the narrower the nanogap was, the better detection limit, calibration sensitivity, and dynamic range. The experimental results were discussed on the basis of the cyclic voltammetry (CV), atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.495-501
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• 2011

We present an experimental study of electrical discharge in nanoscale gaps. The discharge occurred between a cathode made of sharpened Pt-Ir wire and a gold-plated anode. Electric discharges were detected for electric potentials from 10 V to 80 V, and their gaps ranged from 50 nm to 800 nm. The spark signals indirectly showed spark phenomena such as discharges or shortages in the system. The sparks and discharges strongly depended on the electric potential (voltage) and the radius of the tips. For small gaps, the electrical discharge was random and strongly depended on the radius of the cathode tips.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.25-35
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• 2022

Within the framework of the density functional theory combined with the method of non-equilibrium Green's functions (DFT + NEGF), the features of electron transport in fullerene nanojunctions, which are «core-shell» nanoobjects made of a combination of fullerenes of different diameters C₂₀, C₈₀, C₁₈₀, placed between gold electrodes (in a nanogap), are studied. Their transmission spectra, the density of state, current-voltage characteristics and differential conductivity are determined. It was shown that in the energy range of -0.45-0.45 eV in the transmission spectrum of the "Au-C₁₈₀-Au" nanojunction appears a HOMO-LUMO gap with a width of 0.9 eV; when small-sized fullerenes C₂₀, C₈₀ are intercalation into the cavity C₁₈₀ the gap disappears, and a series of resonant structures are observed on their spectra. It has been established that distinct Coulomb steps appear on the current-voltage characteristics of the "Au-C₁₈₀-Au" nanojunction, but on the current-voltage characteristics "Au-C₈₀@C₁₈₀-Au", "Au-(C₂₀@C₈₀)@C₁₈₀-Au" these step structures are blurred due to a decrease in Coulomb energy. An increase in the number of Coulomb features on the dI/dV spectra of core-shell fullerene nanojunctions was revealed in comparison with nanojunctions based on fullerene C₆₀, which makes it possible to create high-speed single-electron devices on their basis. Models of single-electron transistors (SET) based on fullerene nanojunctions "Au-C₁₈₀-Au", "Au-C₈₀@C₁₈₀-Au" and "Au-(C₂₀@C₈₀)@C₁₈₀-Au" are considered. Their charge stability diagrams are analyzed and it is shown that SET based on C₈₀@C₁₈₀-, (C₂₀@C₈₀)@C₁₈₀- nanojunctions is output from the Coulomb blockade mode with the lowest drain-to-source voltage.