Editing Nanosensor (section)

==== Self-assembly ====
Also known as “growing”, this method most often entails an already complete set of components that would automatically assemble themselves into a finished product. Accurately being able to reproduce this effect for a desired sensor in a laboratory would imply that scientists could manufacture nanosensors much more quickly and potentially far more cheaply by letting numerous molecules assemble themselves with little or no outside influence, rather than having to manually assemble each sensor.

Although the conventional fabrication techniques have proven to be efficient, further improvements in the production method can lead to minimization of cost and enhancement in performance. Challenges with current production methods include uneven distribution, size, and shape of nanoparticles, which all lead to limitation in performance. In 2006, researchers in Berlin patented their invention of a novel diagnostic nanosensor fabricated with nanosphere lithography (NSL), which allows precise control oversize and shape of nanoparticles and creates nanoislands. The metallic nanoislands produced an increase in signal transduction and thus increased sensitivity of the sensor. The results also showed that the sensitivity and specification of the diagnostic nanosensor depend on the size of the nanoparticles, that decreasing the nanoparticle size increases the sensitivity.<ref name=":6" />

[[Current density]] is influenced by distribution, size, or shape of nanoparticles. These properties can be improved by exploitation of [[capillary force]]s. In recent research, capillary forces were induced by applying five microliters of [[ethanol]] and, as result, individual nanoparticles have been merged in a larger islands (i.e. 20 micrometer-sized) particles separated by 10 micrometers on average, while the smaller ones were dissolved and absorbed. On the other hand, applying twice as much (i.e. 10 microliters) of ethanol has damaged the nanolayers, while applying too small (i.e. two microliters) of ethanol has failed to spread across them.<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1002/adfm.202302808 | title=Capillary-Driven Self-Assembled Microclusters for Highly Performing UV Photodetectors | date=2023 | last1=Chen | first1=Xiaohu | last2=Bagnall | first2=Darren | last3=Nasiri | first3=Noushin | journal=Advanced Functional Materials | volume=33 | issue=49 | s2cid=260666252 | doi-access=free }}</ref>