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.