基于纳米材料表面等离子体共振的新型太赫兹传感技术检测机理及方法研究

Terahertz wave technology has significant scientific value and great potential. However, there are two key technical issues including low sensitivity and the difficulty in specific recognition of the target when this technology is applied in agriculture and life sciences fields. We propose a fundamental research program to investigate detection mechanism of novel terahertz sensing technology based on surface plasmon resonance of nanomaterials and their applications in fast biological molecules detection. We will focus on revealing the mechanism that nanomaterials are used for terahertz sensing and master nanomaterials response mechanism in the terahertz band. Two research objectives will be systematically pursued in the course of the project: (1) Through theoretical and experimental study of nanomaterials THz sensing, we can know the generation of surface plasmon resonance mode and the optimum configuration and assembly of nanomaterials. The terahertz detection sensitivity will be improved. (2) Through the establishment of rapid nanomaterials modification methods and analysis of terahertz data from the modified moleculars and the their binding with the target analyte. The specific recognition of the target analyte can be realized. Finally, method verification and optimization will be carried out to widen research to achieve specific detection of different target analytes. Through this research project, the terahertz technology and nanomaterials are combined to further promote the development of terahertz science and technology. It would provide a foundation for a wide range of applications in agriculture and life science fields.

太赫兹波谱技术具有重要的科研价值和巨大的应用潜力，但该技术在农业和生命科学等领域应用时存在检测灵敏度低和目标物特异性识别难度大两个关键技术问题。本项目提出基于纳米材料表面等离子体共振的新型太赫兹传感技术检测机理研究及应用于生物分子快速检测的基础研究课题。重点揭示纳米材料用于太赫兹传感的机理，掌握纳米材料在太赫兹波段的响应机理。本项目主要实现两个目标：（1）通过纳米材料在太赫兹波段传感的理论及实验研究，掌握产生表面等离子体共振的方式及较优的纳米材料构型和组装方式，实现太赫兹检测灵敏度的提高；（2）通过建立纳米材料的快速修饰方法及修饰物与目标分析物控制的太赫兹波谱研究，实现对目标分析物的特异性检测。最后进行方法的验证、优化及拓宽研究，实现对不同目标分析物的特异性检测。通过本项目研究，将太赫兹科学技术与纳米材料相结合，为进一步推动太赫兹科学技术在农业及生命科学等领域的广泛应用奠定基础。

本项目针对自由空间传播的太赫兹波检测样品灵敏度低和特异性差的问题，基于太赫兹时域波谱技术，结合时域有限差分模拟技术、微加工技术、纳米技术和生物传感技术，采用微纳超结构检测样品，探索并建立了一系列快速、高灵敏度、高特异性的检测方法，为太赫兹波段的精确快速检测提供了新的技术手段。利用纳米材料-超结构的信号放大作用，提高了超材料吸收器检测纳米金颗粒的灵敏度；利用纳米金棒的光学调制作用，实现了在溶液环境下的生物分子检测；开发了石墨烯-金属孔阵列微流体装置并用于检测，显著提高了溶液中检测抗生素的灵敏度；通过在超结构-石墨烯表面修饰适配体，捕捉到目标DNA分子（浓度为100 nM），实现了特异检测。根据理论和实验研究成果，在学术期刊上发表论文7篇；授权美国专利1项，国家发明专利5项；通过项目培养博士研究生5名，硕士研究生1名，本科生3名。