Water bath synthesis of tin oxide nanostructure coating for a molecular sensor.

Tin oxide nanostructures were fabricated using a water bath technique. The structures were modified with dye-labeled DNAs for a molecular sensor. Sensing mechanism of the sensor was based on a photoelectric conversion effect. Photoluminescence intensities from the tin oxide nanostructures reached to 16 times larger than that from SnO2:F films. High photocurrent of 5.5 x 10(-6) A and high signal-to-noise ratio of 29 were achieved in this system. Photoelectric conversion on a combination of the dye-labeled DNA and the tin oxide was an essence of the sensing system. Surface nanospaces were effectively utilized to increase photoluminescence and photocurrent.