Click chemistry on silicon nitride for biosensor fabrication

Abstract

Biosensors are of essential importance in medical and biological diagnostics. Often, they are produced using silane chemistry on glass or silicon oxide surfaces. However, controlling that silane chemistry is challenging. Here, we present an alternative strategy to form functional organic layers and biosensors on silicon nitride (Si3N4). H-terminated Si3N4 films are used to generate reactive azide groups by various azidation methods. Biomolecular probes can then be immobilized using click chemistry reactions with the azide groups and due to its high sensitivity in XPS a fluorine-substituted test alkyne was utilized to optimize click chemistry conditions. After that a biotinylated alkyne was clicked to Si3N4 surfaces followed by immobilization of streptavidin as analyte in a model assay. The functionalized surfaces were thoroughly characterized by surface chemical analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy.