- Archer Materials (AXE) overcomes a key nanotech challenge in developing a disease-detecting biochip by successfully integrating a single atom-thick sheet of graphene with silicon electronics
- The company says graphene’s electronic properties make its use for biosensing highly advantageous
- The biochip is being developed in-house by Archer
- It owns 100 per cent of the biochip technology intellectual property
- AXE shares rise sharply to $1.36
Archer Materials (AXE) shares surged after the company announced it had addressed a key nanotech challenge in its biochip development by successfully integrating single atom-thick graphene on a silicon wafer.
The company said the biochip, which it described as a “lab-on-a-chip” technology that was currently being developed in-house, was aimed at enabling the complex detection of some of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases.
The technology requires graphene materials in electronic circuits to form miniaturised devices that act as ultrasensitive sensors for identifying and analysing viruses and bacteria.
Graphene’s electronic properties on the nanoscale makes its use for biosensing highly advantageous, according to Archer.
CEO Dr Mohammad Choucair said the company’s use of advanced lithography systems to integrate graphene with silicon electronics was a significant step in the biochip’s development.
“This is the culmination of a lot of strategic planning and co-ordination involving talented people, world-class facilities and technology to get to this point,” he said.
Archer owns 100 per cent of the biochip technology intellectual property.
AXE shares soared 32 per cent to end the trading day at $1.36.