Silicon Nitride-BP-Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Highly Sensitive Biosensor for Virus SARS-CoV-2 Detection

In this study, we propose a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensor using silicon nitride (Si3N4), black phosphorous (BP), and thiol-tethered DNA as a ligand for fast detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In the proposed biosensor, we have deposited silver (Ag), Si3N4, and BP on the base of the BK-7 prism and investigated the performance parameters on the probe in different combinations of the mentioned materials. Herein, three (Ag, Si3N4, and BP) different configurations are introduced and compared for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, with the help of the transfer matrix method (TMM), all the three configurations have been analyzed. Notably, the combination of Ag, Si3N4, and BP shows better sensitivity (154 degrees/RIU) when compared with other configurations for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. This work may facilitate a new sensing device to detect SARS-CoV-2, based on the hybrid materials.

Automated summary

In this study, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensor using silicon nitride (Si3N4), black phosphorous (BP), and thiol-tethered DNA as a ligand is proposed for fast detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Different combinations of silver (Ag), Si3N4, and BP on the base of the BK-7 prism are investigated, and three configurations are compared for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The combination of Ag, Si3N4, and BP shows better sensitivity compared to other configurations. The study provides a new sensing device based on hybrid materials for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.