Epitaxial graphene devices for biosensor applications

Graphene is a two-dimensional crystalline form of carbon that has attracted intensive focus from various research disciplines since the publication of a seminal paper in 2004 by Novoselov, Geim et al. Of particular interest is the use of graphene in sensors. By chemically modifying, or functionalizing, graphene, it is possible to modify the its surface chemistry in order to give a selective electronic response to particular analytes. This work describes the formation and analysis of graphene on SiC, the fabrication of graphene devices, and the surface modification of graphene with monoclonal antibodies used to target clinically significant antigens. This PhD thesis was awarded Best Thesis in the Systems and Process Engineering Centre (SPEC) at Swansea University in 2014.