Development of Low-dimensional Metal Oxide Transistors for Biochemical Sensing Applications

Abstract

In the last two decades, there has been considerable development for biosensor devices as the need to more efficient sensing systems is increasing for monitoring the progress of medicine and help with the early diagnosis of the pathogens and treatment of diseases that would reduce the cost of patient care. DNA sensors, in particular, have attracted attention due to their abundance of practical applications in clinical diagnoses and genetic information which increase the demand for DNA probes. On the other hand, the development of the oxide semiconductors thin film transistors (TFT) devices have been greatly increased, owing to their superior electrical properties, lower cost and large coverage areas. Building a bridge across biological elements and electronic interface using advanced (TFT) platforms are based on materials design and device architecture. Here, a solution-processed multi-layer metal oxide (TFT) is explored as a novel DNA sensor. The device engineering combines the novel hetero-structure metal oxide channel that can sustain a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) which leads to a higher mobility and surface functionalization capacity to create an ultrasensitive, highly stable, and versatile DNA sensor. The prototype solid-state TFT sensor features a sub-10 nm-thick metal oxide heterojunction channel of a In2O3 and a top ZnO layer. The devices developed here rely on a pyrene-based molecule as the receptor unit that is known to intercalate into double stranded DNA with a very high-affinity constant and at very low concentration.