title: Bioengineered Silicon Diatoms: Adding Photonic Features to a Nanostructured Semiconductive Material for Biomolecular Sensing.
abstract: Native diatoms made of amorphous silica are first converted into silicon structures via magnesiothermic process, preserving the original shape: electron force microscopy analysis performed on silicon-converted diatoms demonstrates their semiconductor behavior. Wet surface chemical treatments are then performed in order to enhance the photoluminescence emission from the resulting silicon diatoms and, at the same time, to allow the immobilization of biological probes, namely proteins and antibodies, via silanization. We demonstrate that light emission from semiconductive silicon diatoms can be used for antibody-antigen recognition, endorsing this material as optoelectronic transducer.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, Via P. Castellino 131, Naples, 80131, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rea
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, Via P. Castellino 131, Naples, 80131, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terracciano
authors.affiliation: Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Blvd, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Soundarrajan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandrasekaran
authors.affiliation: Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Blvd, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicolas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Voelcker
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, Via P. Castellino 131, Naples, 80131, Italy.
authors.forename: Principia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dardano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Martucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lamberti
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, Via P. Castellino 131, Naples, 80131, Italy. luca.destefano@cnr.it.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9442-4175
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Stefano
keywords: Biosensing; Diatoms; Photoluminescence; Silicon