New paradigms and New Devices based on Nanomechanics for Ultrasensitive Biological detection

The goal of discovering new devices and new transduction concepts for biological detection remains of paramount importance. Nanotechnology based approaches are promising candidates for providing portable and low cost nanosensor devices, capable of analyzing tiny amounts of sample, and specifically disease markers from patients. We present here recent advancements in the development of novel MEMS/NEMS devices and new sensing paradigms to achieve the ultimate limits in biological detection based on nanomechanics. The presented results are divided in the following battle fronts, • Multifunctional nanomechanical systems for highly selective and sensitive biological detection We propose the combination of multiple nanomechanical structures in arrays in order to detect multiple signatures of adsorbed biomolecules such as the mass, the mechanical properties and the surface stress[1]. A prototype device is shown in Fig. 1. The nanomechanical arrays provide a double flavour of the adsorbed molecules: the added mass reported by the cantilevers with the Au area at the tip and the nanoscale elasticity reported by the cantilevers with the Au area at the clamp. The devices in Fig. 1 were applied for DN