ABSTRACT
This chapter is devoted to a particular kind of nanostructures-
quantum dots, which are semiconducting nanoparticles showing
not only interesting optical properties but also electrical features
modulated by light. These particles can be fixed on electrode
surfaces and thus act as a light-switchable layer. To use quantum dot
electrodes and photocurrent measurements for signal transduction
in bioanalysis, the surface properties of the nanoparticles have to
be adapted and defined reaction schemes have to be established.
On this basis it can be shown that analytical signal chains can
be constructed that allow light-controlled detection of an analyte
molecule. Provided that the biochemical reaction can be confined to
a certain surface region it gives access to a spatially resolved readout
of a sensor electrode.