SERS Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Biomolecules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2, such as PCR testing, are time-consuming and prone to false results, while rapid at-home antigen tests lack reliability, necessitating a more efficient and accurate method for biomolecule detection.
Innovation Solution
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using silicon nanowires coated with gold or silver nanoparticles to detect biomolecules like the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and ribosomal binding protein in biological samples, enabling rapid and reliable identification by analyzing SERS spectra.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If PCR testing is used to detect SARS-CoV-2, then detection accuracy is improved, but testing time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical and chemical amplification process of PCR with a spectroscopic detection method. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) uses electromagnetic interaction between laser light and molecular vibrations to directly detect viral biomarkers, eliminating the need for repeated thermal cycling and enzymatic amplification steps, thus reducing testing time while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes Raman spectroscopy which detects characteristic vibrational frequencies of molecules, producing unique spectral 'fingerprints' for different biomolecules. The SERS technique enhances these spectral signals through interaction with metal nanoparticles, allowing rapid identification of viral proteins based on their distinctive Raman scattering patterns without time-consuming amplification.
2Speed
If rapid antigen tests are used for at-home SARS-CoV-2 detection, then testing speed is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the simple antigen-antibody binding detection of rapid tests with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. This spectroscopic method provides more specific and sensitive detection by measuring the unique vibrational modes of viral biomolecules, thereby improving reliability while maintaining rapid testing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from simple antigen presence to detailed molecular vibrational spectra. By measuring multiple Raman bands corresponding to different amino acid residues and secondary structures in viral proteins, the method provides more information for accurate identification, reducing false positives and negatives compared to single-parameter antigen tests.
3Measurement precision
If surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with silicon nanowires and metal nanoparticles is used, then detection sensitivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested structure where metal nanoparticles are deposited on silicon nanowires, which themselves are grown on a silicon substrate. This hierarchical nesting creates multiple interfaces that enhance the SERS effect, as both the nanowire surface and nanoparticle surfaces contribute to signal enhancement, achieving high sensitivity through structured complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite substrate combining silicon nanowires with metal nanoparticles (gold, silver, or copper). This composite structure leverages the plasmonic properties of metals and the high surface area of nanowires to create synergistic enhancement of Raman signals, improving detection sensitivity while managing device complexity through material composition rather than structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The method for detecting a biomolecule by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a spectroscopic method of detecting a virus in a biological sample. A target substrate is prepared by depositing nanoparticles of a metal on a substrate of silicon nanowires. The nanoparticles may be gold, silver or a combination thereof. The far-field Raman spectra of at least one biomolecule associated with the virus are obtained. The biological fluid sample to be tested is then applied on the target substrate, and the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy spectra of the biological fluid sample on the target substrate are obtained. The far-field Raman spectra of the at least one biomolecule are compared against the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy spectra of the biological fluid sample on the target substrate.