Graphene-based high-performance surface plasmon resonance biosensors

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors have become a central tool for the study of biomolecular interactions, chemical detection, and immunoassays in various fields. SPR biosensors offer unparalleled advantages such as label-free and real-time analysis with very high sensitivity. To further push the limits of SPR capabilities, novel SPR structures and approaches are being actively investigated. Here we experimentally demonstrate a graphene-based SPR biosensor. By incorporating a graphene layer to the conventional gold thin film SPR structure, its biosensing sensitivity is significantly increased. This is shown in a typical affinity biosensing experiment to measure the real-time binding kinetics of biotin-streptavidin. In addition to higher sensitivity, we also obtain a much higher signal-to-noise ratio without the slightest modification of the usual measurement setup. This implies that a considerably lower limit of detection can be made possible with the novel structure. Moreover, our graphene-based SPR biosensors do not require sophisticated surface functionalization schemes as in conventional SPR in order to function. Previous reports have also suggested that graphene might effectively prevent non-specific binding of biomolecules on the sensor surface. With relatively simple fabrication methods and large scalability, these combined distinctive advantages can enable future generation of high-performance SPR biosensors.