Full Surface Embeddingof Gold Clusters on Silicon Nanowires for Efficient Capture and PhotothermalTherapy of Circulating Tumor Cells.

We report on rapid thermal chemical vapor depositiongrowth of silicon nanowires (Si NWs) that contain a high density ofgold nanoclusters (Au NCs) with a uniform coverage over the entirelength of the nanowire sidewalls. The Au NC-coated Si NWs with anantibody-coated surface obtain the unique capability to capture breastcancer cells at twice the highest efficiency currently achievable(∼88% at 40 min cell incubation time) from a nanostructuredsubstrate. We also found that irradiation of breast cancer cells capturedon Au NC-coated Si NWs with a near-infrared light resulted in a highmortality rate of these cancer cells, raising a fine prospect forsimultaneous capture and plasmonic photothermal therapy for circulatingtumor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]