Laser-induced carbon nanostructures

Abstract

Producing a food testing sensor electrode, using a first laser beam 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 selected to create carbon foam in the sub-surface region and a carbon-based material above the carbon foam; and a second laser beam to remove or ablate the carbon-based material sitting above the carbon foam, the second laser beam being to expose or alter at least some of the carbon foam, to produce a resultant carbon foam material; and functionalising the resultant carbon foam material by adding a receptor or recognition element that is specific to a target or analyte to the resultant carbon foam material or a linker that is attached to the resultant carbon foam material; and providing the functionalised carbon foam material for use as a sensor electrode in an assay device.