Highly sensitive liquid-phase detection of biological targets with magnetic markers and high Tc SQUID

Shinobu Uchida, Yuichi Higuchi, Yuuta Ueoka, Takashi Yoshida, Keiji Enpuku, Seiji Adachi, Keiichi Tanabe, Akira Tsukamoto, Akihiko Kandori

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We developed a highly sensitive HTS SQUID system for liquid-phase detection of biological targets using magnetic markers. The SQUID consists of a ramp-edge Josephson junction made using an RE123-based multilayer process, and it showed a flux noise of 7.5 μΦ0/Hz1/2 in the white noise region. The 1/f noise was 14 μΦ0/Hz1/2 at f = 1 Hz when the SQUID was operated in AC bias mode. Using the SQUID system, we detected a biological target called biotin. In the experiment, biotins were fixed to a large polymer bead 3.3 μm in diameter. Streptavidin-coated magnetic markers were used for the detection. The bound and unbound (free) markers were magnetically distinguished using the difference in their Brownian relaxation time, i.e., without using a washing process to separate them. The minimum detectable number of biotins was as low as 2×104, corresponding to a sensitivity of 9.5× 10-19 mol/ml. This result indicates that the developed method is highly sensitive. We also show the effect of the excitation field on the signals from free and bound markers for quantitative evaluation of the immunoassay.

Original languageEnglish
Article number6766191
JournalIEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity
Volume24
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2014

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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