University of Rochester scientists have created a nanoscale device capable of detecting one quadrillionth of a gram of biological matter, or about the size of certain viruses.

In the future, the sensor may be able to detect influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), bird flu, and other viruses.

The sensor is a hexagonal array of tiny cavities, each 240 nanometers in diameter, carved into a very thin slab of silicon using a beam of electrons.