Polymers modified porous silicon optical (bio)sensors

This comprehensive review highlights the recent technological advancements in the realm of polymer-modified porous silicon (PSi) biosensors, mainly over the past two years. The cost-effective fabrication process and high internal surface area, tuneable pore size, and photonic properties make PSi a compelling transducing substrate for biosensing applications across diverse research fields. Notably, there has been a significant trend in the last few years toward increasing polymers' utilization for modifying porous silicon features. This strategic use of polymers aims to enhance the sensitivity and specificity of biosensors, catering to a wide array of targets of interest. The conjugation of polymers with PSi represents a noteworthy technological advancement, contributing significantly to refining biosensor performances in terms of target detection, selectivity, and stability. This review offers a comprehensive overview of recent developments, elucidating the distinctive features of optical biosensors based on polymer-modified PSi, with particular attention to the evolving role of polymers in augmenting sensor capabilities.