A novel CVD graphene-based synaptic transistors with ionic liquid gate.

The synaptic devices based on various electronic materials have been widely investigated to realize functions of artificial information processing with low power consumption. In this work, a novel CVD graphene field-effect transistor is fabricated with ionic liquid gate to study the synaptic behaviors based on the electrical-double-layer mechanism. It is found that the excitative current is enhanced with the pulse width, voltage amplitude and frequency. With different situations of the applied pulse voltage, the inhibitory and excitatory behaviors are successfully simulated, at the same time the short-term memory is also realized. The corresponding ions migration and charge density variation are analyzed in the different time segments. This work provides the guidance for the design of artificial synaptic electronics with ionic liquid gate for low-power computing application.

Determination of the Thermal Noise Limit of Graphene Biotransistors.

To determine the thermal noise limit of graphene biotransistors, we have measured the complex impedance between the basal plane of single-layer graphene and an aqueous electrolyte. The impedance is dominated by an imaginary component but has a finite real component. Invoking the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, we determine the power spectral density of thermally driven voltage fluctuations at the graphene/electrolyte interface. The fluctuations have 1/f(p) dependence, with p = 0.75-0.85, and the magnitude of fluctuations scales inversely with area. Our results explain noise spectra previously measured in liquid-gated suspended graphene devices and provide realistic targets for future device performance.

Single electron charge sensitivity of liquid-gated carbon nanotube transistors.

Random telegraph signals corresponding to activated charge traps were observed with liquid-gated CNT FETs. The high signal-to-noise ratio that we observe demonstrates that single electron charge sensing is possible with CNT FETs in liquids at room temperature. We have characterized the gate-voltage dependence of the random telegraph signals and compared to theoretical predictions. The gate-voltage dependence clearly identifies the sign of the activated trapped charge.

Highly Stable InSe-FET Biosensor for Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Breast Cancer Biomarker CA125.

Two-dimensional materials-based field-effect transistors (FETs) are promising biosensors because of their outstanding electrical properties, tunable band gap, high specific surface area, label-free detection, and potential miniaturization for portable diagnostic products. However, it is crucial for FET biosensors to have a high electrical performance and stability degradation in liquid environments for their practical application. Here, a high-performance InSe-FET biosensor is developed and demonstrated for the detection of the CA125 biomarker in clinical samples. The InSe-FET is integrated with a homemade microfluidic channel, exhibiting good electrical stability during the liquid channel process because of the passivation effect on the InSe channel. The InSe-FET biosensor is capable of the quantitative detection of the CA125 biomarker in breast cancer in the range of 0.01-1000 U/mL, with a detection time of 20 min. This work provides a universal detection tool for protein biomarker sensing. The detection results of the clinical samples demonstrate its promising application in early screenings of major diseases.

Junctionless Electric-Double-Layer MoS2 Field-Effect Transistor with a Sub-5 nm Thick Electrostatically Highly Doped Channel.

Junctionless transistors are suitable for sub-3 nm applications because of their extremely simple structure and high electrical performance, which compensate for short-channel effects. Two-dimensional semiconductor transition-metal dichalcogenide materials, such as MoS2, may also resolve technical and fundamental issues for Si-based technology. Here, we present the first junctionless electric-double-layer field-effect transistor with an electrostatically highly doped 5 nm thick MoS2 channel. A double-gated MoS2 transistor with an ionic-liquid top gate and a conventional bottom gate demonstrated good transfer characteristics with a 104 on-off current ratio, a 70 mV dec-1 subthreshold swing at a 0 V bottom-gate bias, and drain-current versus top-gate-voltage characteristics were shifted left significantly with increasing bottom-gate bias due to an electrostatically increased overall charge carrier concentration in the MoS2 channel. When a bottom-gate bias of 80 V was applied, a shoulder and two clear peak features were identified in the transconductance and its derivative, respectively; this outcome is typical of Si-based junctionless transistors. Furthermore, the decrease in electron mobility induced by a transverse electric field was reduced with increasing bottom-gate bias. Numerical simulations and analytical models were used to support these findings, which clarify the operation of junctionless MoS2 transistors with an electrostatically highly doped channel.

Influence of the Electrolyte Salt Concentration on DNA Detection with Graphene Transistors.

Liquid-gated Graphene Field-Effect Transistors (GFET) are ultrasensitive bio-detection platforms carrying out the graphene's exceptional intrinsic functionalities. Buffer and dilution factor are prevalent strategies towards the optimum performance of the GFETs. However, beyond the Debye length (λD), the role of the graphene-electrolytes' ionic species interactions on the DNA behavior at the nanoscale interface is complicated. We studied the characteristics of the GFETs under different ionic strength, pH, and electrolyte type, e.g., phosphate buffer (PB), and phosphate buffer saline (PBS), in an automatic portable built-in system. The electrostatic gating and charge transfer phenomena were inferred from the field-effect measurements of the Dirac point position in single-layer graphene (SLG) transistors transfer curves. Results denote that λD is not the main factor governing the effective nanoscale screening environment. We observed that the longer λD was not the determining characteristic for sensitivity increment and limit of detection (LoD) as demonstrated by different types and ionic strengths of measuring buffers. In the DNA hybridization study, our findings show the role of the additional salts present in PBS, as compared to PB, in increasing graphene electron mobility, electrostatic shielding, intermolecular forces and DNA adsorption kinetics leading to an improved sensitivity.

A Disposable Printed Liquid Gate Graphene Field Effect Transistor for a Salivary Cortisol Test.

Circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol is of clinical significance, tracking salivary cortisol in domicile is welcomed by both doctor and patient, due to its merits of noninvasion, ease of sampling, and free-of-stress response. Here, we present a portable salivary cortisol test setup based on a liquid gate graphene field effect transistor (Lg-GFET) for the first time. In this work, the Lg-GFET was prepared by the printing technology and exploited as a sensitive material. In the procedures of device preparation, the modified liquid exfoliation method and direct-ink-write technology were utilized for synthesizing the graphene ink and printing Lg-GFETs; then, the as-prepared Lg-GFETs were decorated and functionalized by tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin and the cortisol aptamer, successively. Their sensitivity, selectivity, and robustness are seriously examined. The test results indicate that the sensors have good linear sensitivities over a seven-log analyte concentration range (0.01 to 104 nM) and the anti-interference ability to distinguish from the substancess with similar chemical structures. Moreover, the conceptual application for tracking circadian rhythm was carried out successfully. Conclusively, the proposed flexible Lg-GFET-based salivary cortisol detection platform can satisfy the requirements of the salivary cortisol's assay for instant detection. Additionally, it also provides an alternative solution for developing similar household medical appliances.

Black Phosphorus-IGZO van der Waals Diode with Low-Resistivity Metal Contacts.

There have been a few studies of heterojunctions composed of two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and an oxide layer, but such studies of high-performance electric and optoelectronic devices are essential. Such heterojunctions with low-resistivity metal contacts are needed by the electronics industry to fabricate efficient diodes and photovoltaic devices. Here, a van der Waals heterojunction composed of p-type black phosphorus (p-BP) and n-type indium-gallium-zinc oxide (n-IGZO) films with low-resistivity metal contacts is reported, and it demonstrates high rectification. The low off-state leakage current in the thick IGZO film accounts for the high rectification ratio in a sharp interface of p-BP/n-IGZO devices. For electrostatic gate control, an ionic liquid is introduced to achieve a high rectification ratio of 9.1 × 104. The photovoltaic measurements of p-BP/n-IGZO show fast rise and decay times, significant open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current, and a high photoresponsivity of 418 mA/W with a substantial external quantum efficiency of 12.1%. The electric and optoelectronic characteristics of TMDs/oxide layer van der Waals heterojunctions are attractive for industrial applications in the near future.

Electronic Biosensing with Functionalized rGO FETs.

In the following we give a short summary of examples for biosensor concepts in areas in which reduced graphene oxide-based electronic devices can be developed into new classes of biosensors, which are highly sensitive, label-free, disposable and cheap, with electronic signals that are easy to analyze and interpret, suitable for multiplexed operation and for remote control, compatible with NFC technology, etc., and in many cases a clear and promising alternative to optical sensors. The presented areas concern sensing challenges in medical diagnostics with an example for detecting general antibody-antigen interactions, for the monitoring of toxins and pathogens in food and feed stuff, exemplified by the detection of aflatoxins, and the area of smell sensors, which are certainly the most exciting development as there are very few existing examples in which the typically small and hydrophobic odorant molecules can be detected by other means. The example given here concerns the recording of a honey flavor (and a cancer marker for neuroblastoma), homovanillic acid, by the odorant binding protein OBP 14 from the honey bee, immobilized on the reduced graphene oxide gate of an FET sensor.

Highly sensitive silicon nanowire biosensor with novel liquid gate control for detection of specific single-stranded DNA molecules.

The study demonstrates the development of a liquid-based gate-control silicon nanowire biosensor for detection of specific single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecules. The sensor was fabricated using conventional photolithography coupled with an inductively coupled plasma dry etching process. Prior to the application of DNA to the device, its linear response to pH was confirmed by serial dilution from pH 2 to pH 14. Then, the sensor surface was silanized and directly aminated with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane to create a molecular binding chemistry for biofunctionalization. The resulting Si‒O‒Si‒ components were functionalized with receptor ssDNA, which interacted with the targeted ssDNA to create a field across the silicon nanowire and increase the current. The sensor shows selectivity for the target ssDNA in a linear range from target ssDNA concentrations of 100 pM to 25 nM. With its excellent detection capabilities, this sensor platform is promising for detection of specific biomarkers and other targeted proteins.

Graphene-based liquid-gated field effect transistor for biosensing: Theory and experiments.

We present an experimental and theoretical characterization for reduced Graphene-Oxide (rGO) based FETs used for biosensing applications. The presented approach shows a complete result analysis and theoretically predictable electrical properties. The formulation was tested for the analysis of the device performance in the liquid gate mode of operation with variation of the ionic strength and pH-values of the electrolytes in contact with the FET. The dependence on the Debye length was confirmed experimentally and theoretically, utilizing the Debye length as a working parameter and thus defining the limits of applicability for the presented rGO-FETs. Furthermore, the FETs were tested for the sensing of biomolecules (bovine serum albumin (BSA) as reference) binding to gate-immobilized anti-BSA antibodies and analyzed using the Langmuir binding theory for the description of the equilibrium surface coverage as a function of the bulk (analyte) concentration. The obtained binding coefficients for BSA are found to be same as in results from literature, hence confirming the applicability of the devices. The FETs used in the experiments were fabricated using wet-chemically synthesized graphene, displaying high electron and hole mobility (µ) and provide the strong sensitivity also for low potential changes (by change of pH, ion concentration, or molecule adsorption). The binding coefficient for BSA-anti-BSA interaction shows a behavior corresponding to the Langmuir adsorption theory with a Limit of Detection (LOD) in the picomolar concentration range. The presented approach shows high reproducibility and sensitivity and a good agreement of the experimental results with the calculated data.