Mobile and automated biosensing is a key technological issue for modern medicine. Current medical diagnostics rely on laboratory methods that are very exact and reliable, however lacking the possibility of miniaturization and cost-efficiency for point-of-care diagnostics and personalized medicine.
During the past decade field effect transistors mainly based on doped silicon were adapted for highly sensitive detection of biological molecules based on charge sensing. We are here presenting our work on the manufacturing, characterization and theoretical modeling of a Schottky barrier silicon nanowire field effect transistor for the detection of biological molecules.
A multi-scale model for the determination of nanowire conductivity was developed and applied to Schottky barrier nanowire FETs in dry and liquid surrounding. In parallel electrical measurements that show the device's biosensing capabilities were done and underlying mechanisms were explained by theoretical predictions.
In conclusion we developed a low cost Schottky barrier nanowire field effect transistor and we were able to model the device sensitivity. Our devices have the potential to improve diagnostics in modern medical applications.