Field effect transistors (FETs) are widely used for the label-free detection of analytes in chemical and biological experiments. Here we demonstrate that the apparent sensitivity of a dual-gated silicon nanowire FET to pH can go beyond the Nernst limit of 60 mV/pH at room temperature. This result can be explained by a simple capacitance model including all gates. The consistent and reproducible results build to a great extent on the hysteresis- and leakage-free operation. The dual-gate approach can be used to enhance small signals that are typical for bio- and chemical sensing at the nanoscale.

Silicon nanowire field-effect transistors have attracted substantial interest for various biochemical sensing applications, yet there remains uncertainty concerning their response to changes in the supporting electrolyte concentration. In this study, we use silicon nanowires coated with highly pH-sensitive hafnium oxide (HfO(2)) and aluminum oxide (Al(2)O(3)) to determine their response to variations in KCl concentration at several constant pH values. We observe a nonlinear sensor response as a function of ionic strength, which is independent of the pH value. Our results suggest that the signal is caused by the adsorption of anions (Cl(-)) rather than cations (K(+)) on both oxide surfaces. By comparing the data to three well-established models, we have found that none of those can explain the present data set. Finally, we propose a new model which gives excellent quantitative agreement with the data.

Silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (Si-NW FETs) have been demonstrated as a versatile class of potentiometric nanobiosensors for real time, label-free, and highly sensitive detection of a wide range of biomolecules. In this review, we summarize the principles of such devices and recent developments in device fabrication, fluid integration, surface functionalization, and biosensing applications. The main focus of this review is on CMOS compatible Si-NW FET nanobiosensors.

Ion-sensitive field-effect transistors based on silicon nanowires with high dielectric constant gate oxide layers (e.g., Al2O3 or HfO2) display hydroxyl groups which are known to be sensitive to pH variations but also to other ions present in the electrolyte at high concentration. This intrinsically nonselective sensitivity of the oxide surface greatly complicates the selective sensing of ionic species other than protons. Here, we modify individual nanowires with thin gold films as a novel approach to surface functionalization for the detection of specific analytes. We demonstrate sodium ion (Na(+)) sensing by a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of thiol-modified crown ethers in a differential measurement setup. A selective Na(+) response of ≈-44 mV per decade in a NaCl solution is achieved and tested in the presence of protons (H(+)), potassium (K(+)), and chloride (Cl(-)) ions, by measuring the difference between a nanowire with a gold surface functionalized by the SAM (active) and a nanowire with a bare gold surface (control). We find that the functional SAM does not affect the unspecific response of gold to pH and background ionic species. This represents a clear advantage of gold compared to oxide surfaces and makes it an ideal candidate for differential measurements.

Noncovalent functionalization is a well-known nondestructive process for property engineering of carbon nanostructures, including carbon nanotubes and graphene. However, it is not clear to what extend the extraordinary electrical properties of these carbon materials can be preserved during the process. Here, we demonstrated that noncovalent functionalization can indeed delivery graphene field-effect transistors (FET) with fully preserved mobility. In addition, these high-mobility graphene transistors can serve as a promising platform for biochemical sensing applications.