Exploring quantum capacitance signal in electrolyte-gated GFETs for biosensing applications

• Grant number: 22/05158-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: April 12, 2023
• End date: March 29, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Roberto Bueno
• Grantee: Edgar Fabian Pinzon Nieto
• Supervisor: João Pedro dos Santos Hall de Agorreta de Alpuim
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/24525-9 - Nanoelectronics and nanoscale electrochemistry: fundaments and applications, BP.DD

Abstract

Electrolyte-gated graphene field effect transistors (electrolyte-gated GFETs) have been successfully applied for the development of graphene biosensor platforms due the unique properties of 2D-dimensional characteristics of graphene which confers unusual electronic properties and superior sensitivity when compared to standard devices. However, a conventional device setup based on electrolyte-gated GFETs have operational principle supported on electrostatic phenomena of the interface, which considerably limits the harnessing of quantum properties intrinsically present in graphene. Accordingly, the development new GFET setups that take into account the quantum properties are required to obtain high-performance analytical devices. We planned herein the development of an electrolyte-gated GFET array operating in an AC-mode (where drain and source terminals are driven by a displacement or resonant current instead of a DC mode of carries transport). Within this GFET architecture, the gate can enhance the sensitivity by using the electroactive self-assembled monolayer (SAM) resonant characteristics that can modify the gate surface. In this case, the electron transport and energy storage processes, associated with the redox states are governed by the interface's quantum capacitance response. The use of DNA target receptors aims to develop genomic GFETs assays. (AU)