Semiconductor quantum dots in photoelectrochemical sensors from fabrication to biosensing applications

Abstract

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are a promising class of nanomaterials for developing new photoelectrodes and photoelectrochemistry systems for energy storage, transfer, and biosensing applications. These materials have unique electronic and photophysical properties and can be used as optical nanoprobes in displays, biosensors, imaging, optoelectronics, energy storage and energy harvesting. Researchers have recently been exploring the use of QDs in photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors, which involve exciting a QD-interfaced photoactive material with a flashlight source and generating a photoelectrical current as an output signal. The simple surface properties of QDs also make them suitable for addressing issues related to sensitivity, miniaturization, and cost-effectiveness. This technology has the potential to replace current laboratory practices and equipment, such as spectrophotometers, used for testing sample absorption and emission. Semiconductor QD-based PEC sensors offer simple, fast, and easily miniaturized sensors for analyzing a variety of analytes. This review summarizes the various strategies for interfacing QD nanoarchitectures for PEC sensing, as well as their signal amplification. PEC sensing devices, particularly those used for the detection of disease biomarkers, biomolecules (glucose, dopamine), drugs, and various pathogens, have the potential to revolutionize the biomedical field. This review discusses the advantages of semiconductor QD-based PEC biosensors and their fabrication methods, with a focus on disease diagnostics and the detection of various biomolecules. Finally, the review provides prospects and considerations for QD-based photoelectrochemical sensor systems in terms of their sensitivity, speed, and portability for biomedical applications.