Electronic detection and quantification of ions in solution using an a-Si:H field-effect device
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1153-A19-06
Electronic detection and quantification of ions in solution using an a-Si:H field-effect device J. Costa1, M. Fernandes1, M. Vieira1, G. Lavareda2, C. N. Carvalho3, A. Karmali4 1 Electronics Telecommunication and Computer Dept. ISEL, R.Conselheiro Emídio Navarro, 1949-014 Lisboa, Portugal. E-mail: [email protected] 2 CTS-UNINOVA, Monte da Caparica 2829-516, Portugal. 3 ICEMS-Av. Rovisco Pais, Lisbon. 4 Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Research Center, Instituto Superior Engenharia de Lisboa R.Conselheiro Emídio Navarro, 1949-014 Lisboa, Portugal.
ABSTRACT Progress in microelectronics and semiconductor technology has enable new capabilities in the field of sensor construction, particularly of pH sensors based on field-effect transistors (FETs) as transducers of chemical signal. While crystalline devices present a higher sensitivity, their amorphous counterpart present a much lower fabrication cost, thus enabling the production of cheap disposable sensors for use in the food industry. Interest in biosensors consisting of a semiconductor transducer and a functionalized surface with biomolecule receptors (BioFET) continues to grow as they hold the promise for highly selective, label-free, real-time sensing as an alternative to conventional optical detection techniques. We have been involved in the development of a biosensor where the enzymatic activity of recombinant amidase from Escherichia coli is coupled to a semiconductor transducer for the detection of toxic amides in food and industrial effluents. The devices were fabricated on glass substrates by the PECVD technique in the top gate configuration, where the metallic gate is replaced by an electrolytic solution with an immersed Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Silicon nitride is used as gate dielectric enhancing the sensitivity and passivation layer used to avoid leakage and electrochemical reactions. In this article we report on the semiconductor unit, showing that the sensor displays the desired current-voltage characteristics. In addition we present an electrical model of the device, in agreement with the experimental data, that is sensitive to the pH of the solution. INTRODUCTION This paper reports our efforts in the development of an ion sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) sensor to detect toxic amides in food. The scientific interest arises from the fact that there are no biosensors to assay for either aliphatic or aromatic amides. On the other hand, there is great interest as far as general public health is concerned because significant levels of acrylamide were detected in food (eg. chips and breakfast cereals). Among various requirements, the sensor should be inexpensive and compact so that it can be used in situ, thus the interest in using amorphous silicon. The hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) technology allows the fabrication of a broad range of devices, such as thin film transistors (TFT) and photodiodes, on a variety of low cost rigid or flexible substrates, like glass metal foil or polymeric films. Additionally, th
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