Trends in Nanomaterial-Based Non-Invasive Diabetes Sensing Technologies.

Blood glucose monitoring is considered the gold standard for diabetes diagnostics and self-monitoring. However, the underlying process is invasive and highly uncomfortable for patients. Furthermore, the process must be completed several times a day to successfully manage the disease, which greatly contributes to the massive need for non-invasive monitoring options. Human serums, such as saliva, sweat, breath, urine and tears, contain traces of glucose and are easily accessible. Therefore, they allow minimal to non-invasive glucose monitoring, making them attractive alternatives to blood measurements. Numerous developments regarding noninvasive glucose detection techniques have taken place over the years, but recently, they have gained recognition as viable alternatives, due to the advent of nanotechnology-based sensors. Such sensors are optimal for testing the amount of glucose in serums other than blood thanks to their enhanced sensitivity and selectivity ranges, in addition to their size and compatibility with electronic circuitry. These nanotechnology approaches are rapidly evolving, and new techniques are constantly emerging. Hence, this manuscript aims to review current and future nanomaterial-based technologies utilizing saliva, sweat, breath and tears as a diagnostic medium for diabetes monitoring.

Nanoparticle scanning and detection on flat and structured surfaces using fluorescence microscopy.

A new technique is proposed for the scanning and detection of nanoparticles on flat substrates and three-dimensional structures using fluorescence microscopy. This technique is utilized for particle removal measurements especially in semiconductor and hard disk manufacturing. This fluorescent particle scanning technique enables nanoscale particle detection. The technique shows that single particles down to 63 nm could be detected and counted. The technique is also capable of detecting particles in trenches that are as deep as 500 microm.

Three-dimensional assembly of single-walled carbon nanotube interconnects using dielectrophoresis.

We present a hybrid approach that combines top-down fabrication with bottom-up directed assembly for making single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) based three-dimensional interconnects. The SWNTs are assembled using dielectrophoresis at room temperature on a microfabricated 3D platform. The two-terminal resistance of the assembled SWNTs at 10 Vpp assembly voltage is approximately 545 Ω. Simulation of the dielectrophoretic assembly is carried out to understand the behavior of the SWNTs during assembly. Encapsulation of these devices using a conformal pinhole-free parylene layer resulted in a decrease of the total resistance.