A wafer-scale ultrasensitive programmable chiroptical sensor

TL;DR

This paper introduces a wafer-scale, programmable chiroptical sensor that significantly enhances sensitivity for detecting chiral molecules, enabling cost-effective, in-situ enantiomer monitoring without complex fabrication steps.

Contribution

It presents a novel sensing paradigm combining adsorption-driven chirality induction with wafer-scale optical transduction using twisted CNTs and PCMs, achieving high sensitivity and programmability.

Findings

Achieves sub-μM sensitivity for glucose and amino acids

Detects molecule concentration and handedness in a single device

Validates adsorption with molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract

Chiroptical enantioselective sensing is gaining traction across various applications. However, intrinsic molecular chiroptical responses are weak, and existing amplification approaches add synthesis, manufacturing, or operational complexity that limits sensitivity, scalability, and dynamic control. Here, we present a fundamentally new sensing paradigm merging adsorption-driven chirality induction with wafer-scale optical transduction in a programmable heterostructure containing twisted aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and phase change materials (PCMs). Chiral molecules adsorb onto CNTs to form chiroptically active composites that are macroscopically assembled by alignment and rotational stacking, yielding large ultraviolet circular dichroism (CD). We resolve molecule concentration and handedness in a single device without lithography, hotspot delivery, or differential protocols, achieving sub-$\mu$M sensitivity for CD-silent glucose and chiral amino acids enabled by $>10^5\,\mathrm{M^{-1}}$ adsorption constants. We validate adsorption using molecular dynamics simulations, reproduce experimental results using chiral transfer matrix simulations, and realize sensor programmability by tuning the PCM layer. This platform enables cost-effective in-situ enantiomer monitoring in aqueous environments.