Simulation of the Molecular Interactions for the Microcantilever Sensors

• Author / Creator

  Khosathit, Padet

• Microcantilever sensor has gained much popularity because of its high sensitivity and selectivity. It consists of a micro-sized cantilever that is usually coated on one side with chemical/biological probe agents to generate strong attraction to target molecules. The interactions between the probe and target molecules induce surface stress that bends the microcantilever.
  This current work applied the molecular dynamics simulation to study the microcantilever system. Lennard-Jones potentials were used to model the target-target and target-probe interactions and bond bending potentials to model the solid cantilever beam. In addition, this work studied the effect of probe locations on the microcantilever deflection.
  The simulation results suggest that both target-target and target-probe interactions as well as the probe locations affect the arrangement of the bonds; in term of the bonding number, the area containing the bonded molecules, and the distances between them. All these factors influence the microcantilever deflection.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Bond Bending Potential
  • Biosensors
  • Lattice Spring
  • Molecular dynamics simulations
  • Atomic Force Microscopy
  • Microcantilever Sensor
  • Molecular Interactions
  • Nanocantilever
  • Lennard-Jones Potential
  • Chemical Detection

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3436D

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.