Laser-induced carbon nanostructures

Abstract

A method of producing an agricultural testing sensor electrode, using a first laser beam configured to irradiate an encapsulated, sub-surface region of a carbon pre-cursor material below a surface of the carbon pre-cursor material, the first laser beam creating carbon foam in that encapsulated, sub-surface region and a carbon-based material above the carbon foam; and using a second laser beam configured to remove or ablate the carbon-based material sitting above the carbon foam, the second laser beam exposing or altering some of the carbon foam, to produce a resultant carbon foam material; and adding a receptor or recognition element specific to a target or analyte to the resultant carbon foam material or a linker that is attached to the resultant carbon foam material; providing the carbon foam material for use as a sensor electrode in an assay device, e.g., an electrochemical assay device, for agricultural testing.