The enhancement effect of gold nanoparticles as a surface modifier on DNA sensor sensitivity

The enhancement of a single strain DNA probe linked to the sensor surface is of crucial importance in DNA molecule recognition. By means of nanogold modification of the sensor surface in addition to the nanogold amplifier, DNA detection sensitivity higher than 10(-16) mol/L was obtained in a Quartz Crystal microbalance (QCM) system, much higher than the ordinary QCM sensor without surface modification by nanogold. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.