Plasmonic terahertz detectors for biodetection

A report is presented on the biodetection capabilities of plasmonic terahertz detectors. Large changes in the terahertz response of plasmonic detectors loaded with solutions of globulin-free bovine serum albumin, arginine and heparin were measured for concentrations that did affect the device transfer characteristics. The consistent change of the response characteristics with specimen type and concentration can be used to identify and quantify biological and chemical substances. The device structure makes it suitable for use as a building block of a biochip with integrated processing capabilities.