Advanced Nanosensors for the Detection of Narcotics

This paper explores the design and development of silicon nanowire (SiNW)-based nanosensors for sensitive and rapid narcotics detection. A SiNW-based nanosensor array was designed and fabricated using UV photolithography in combination with electron-beam thermal evaporation. The SiNW was synthesized through chemical vapor deposition. The SiNW was functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) via a self-assembly process to form a stable covalent Si-O-Si bond. Subsequently, an anti-THC antibody was conjugated to the APTES-functionalized SiNW through covalent interactions. The detection compound, cannabis (THC) extract, was isolated from marijuana flowers using photochemical analysis and used in interaction studies. The sensing performance of the SiNW-based nanosensor array was evaluated using current-voltage (I-V) analysis, measuring the electrical response to THC interactions. Furthermore, various spectroscopic and microscopic analyses assessed the functionalization and detection characteristics. The results demonstrated that the SiNW-based nanosensor array could effectively detect narcotics.