Surface functionalized Cu₂Zn_1-xCd_xSnS₄ quinternary alloyed nanostructure for DNA sensing

A sensing plate of extended Cu₂Zn_1-xCd_xSnS₄ quinternary alloy nanostructures, fabricated on an oxidized silicon substrate by the sol-gel method, is reported in this paper. The fabricated device was characterized and analyzed via field emission-scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and photoluminescence (PL). The XRD peaks shifted towards the lower angle side alongside increasing concentration of cadmium. The average diameter of the Cu₂Zn_1-xCd_xSnS₄ quinternary alloy nanostructures falls between 21.55 and 43.12 nm, while the shift of the PL bandgap was from 1.81 eV (x = 0) to 1.72 eV (x = 1). The resulting Cu₂Zn_1-xCd_xSnS₄ quinternary alloy nanostructures components were functionalized with oligonucleotides probe DNA molecules and interacted with the target, exhibiting good sensing capabilities due to its large surface-to-volume ratio. The fabrication, immobilization, and hybridization processes were analyzed via representative current-voltage (I-V) plots. Its electrical profile shows that the device is capable to distinguish biomolecules. Its high performance was evident from the linear relationship between the probe DNA from cervical cancer and the target DNA, showing its applicability for medical applications. (orig.)