Development of Piezoelectric Biosensors for Pathogen Detection

A pathogen is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host organism. Rapid detection of pathogenic organisms is a crucial step towards ensuring the health and safety of human beings. This paper proposes an analysis of different designs of piezoelectric biosensors to identify and detect certain pathogens. The top surface of the proposed sensor is coated with a uniform layer of antibodies. Dimensions of each design were varied to obtain optimal results. Simulations were performed using the COMSOL Multiphysics software. Zinc oxide and PolyVinyliDeneFluoride (PVDF) were the two piezoelectric materials under consideration. Aluminium, Gold and Graphite were analysed as electrode materials for each design. The piezoelectric biosensor designs were simulated to obtain voltages generated in the presence and absence of an antigen. Difference in voltages produced can be used to detect the presence of a pathogen.