Digital Inverter Amine Sensing via Synergistic Responses by n and p Organic Semiconductors

Simple and rapid gas sensing using a single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistor-based logic inverter

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are promising candidates for gas sensing applications, providing an efficient solution to the device miniaturization challenge and allowing low power consumption. SWCNT gas sensors are mainly based on field-effect transistors (SWCNT-FETs) where the modification of the current flowing through the nanotube is used for gas detection. A major limitation of these SWCNT-FETs lies in the difficulty to measure their transfer curves, since the flowing current typically varies between 10^-12 and 10^-3 A. Thus, voluminous and energy consuming systems are necessary, severely limiting the miniaturization and low energy consumption. Here, we propose an inverter device that combines two SWCNT-FETs which brings a concrete solution to these limitations and simplifies data processing. In this innovative sensing configuration, the gas detection is based on the variation of an electric potential in the volt range instead of a current intensity variation in the microampere range. In this study, the proof of concept is performed using NO₂ gas but can be easily extended to a wide range of gases.

A Flexible 3D Organic Preamplifier for a Lactate Sensor

Organic transistors are promising platforms for wearable biosensors. However, the strategies to improve signal amplification have yet to be determined, particularly regarding biosensors that generate very weak signals. In this study, an organic voltage amplifier is presented for a lactate sensor on flexible plastic foil. The preamplifier is based on a 3D complementary inverter, which is achieved by vertically stacking complementary transistors with a shared gate between them. The shared gate is extended and functionalized with a lactate oxidase enzyme to detect lactate. The sensing device successfully detects the lactate concentration in the human sweat range (20-60 mm) with high sensitivity (6.82 mV mm^-1 ) due to high gain of its amplification. The 3D integration process is cost-effective as it is solution-processable and doubles the number of transistors per unit area. The device presented in this study would pave the way for the development of high-gain noninvasive sweat lactate sensors that can be wearable.

Realization of an Ultrasensitive and Highly Selective OFET NO2 Sensor: The Synergistic Combination of PDVT-10 Polymer and Porphyrin-MOF

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) are emerging as competitive candidates for gas sensing applications due to the ease of their fabrication process combined with the ability to readily fine-tune the properties of organic semiconductors. Nevertheless, some key challenges remain to be addressed, such as material degradation, low sensitivity, and poor selectivity toward toxic gases. Appropriately, a heterojunction combination of different sensing layers with multifunctional capabilities offers great potential to overcome these problems. Here, a novel and highly sensitive receptor layer is proposed encompassing a porous 3D metal-organic framework (MOF) based on isostructural-fluorinated MOFs acting as an NO₂ specific preconcentrator, on the surface of a stable and ultrathin PDVT-10 organic semiconductor on an OFET platform. Here, with this proposed combination we have unveiled an unprecedented 700% increase in sensitivity toward NO₂ analyte in contrast to the pristine PDVT-10. The resultant combination for this OFET device exhibits a remarkable lowest detection limit of 8.25 ppb, a sensitivity of 680 nA/ppb, and good stability over a period of 6 months under normal laboratory conditions. Further, a negligible response (4.232 nA/%RH) toward humidity in the range of 5%-90% relative humidity was demonstrated using this combination. Markedly, the obtained results support the use of the proposed novel strategy to achieve an excellent sensing performance with an OFET platform.

Tertiary Amines Differentiated from Primary and Secondary Amines by Active Ester-Functionalized Hexabenzoperylene in Field Effect Transistors

Herein, we report two novel derivatives of hexabenzoperylene (HBP) that are functionalized with ester groups. Methyl acetate functionalized HBP (1) in single crystals self-assembles into a supramolecular nanosheet, which has a two-dimensional π-stack of HBP sandwiched between two layers of ester groups. With the same self-assembly motif, active ester-functionalized HBP (2) in field effect transistors has enabled differentiation of tertiary amines from primary and secondary amines, in agreement with the fact that active ester reacts with primary and secondary amines but not with tertiary amines to form amides.

Low-picomolar, label-free procalcitonin analytical detection with an electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistor based electronic immunosensor

Herein a label-free immunosensor based on electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistor (EGOFET) was developed for the detection of procalcitonin (PCT), a sepsis marker. Antibodies specific to PCT were immobilized on the poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) organic semiconductor surface through direct physical adsorption followed by a post-treatment with bovine serum albumin (BSA) which served as the blocking agent to prevent non-specific adsorption. Antibodies together with BSA (forming the whole biorecognition layer) served to selectively capture the procalcitonin target analyte. The entire immunosensor fabrication process was fast, requiring overall 45min to be completed before analyte sensing. The EGOFET immunosensor showed excellent electrical properties, comparable to those of bare P3HT based EGOFET confirming reliable biosensing with bio-functional EGOFET immunosensor. The detection limit of the immunosensor was as low as 2.2pM and within a range of clinical relevance. The relative standard deviation of the individual calibration data points, measured on immunosensors fabricated on different chips (reproducibility error) was below 7%. The developed immunosensor showed high selectivity to the PCT analyte which was evident through control experiments. This report of PCT detection is first of its kind among the electronic sensors based on EGOFETs. The developed sensor is versatile and compatible with low-cost fabrication techniques.

High Conductivity and Electron-Transfer Validation in an n-Type Fluoride-Anion-Doped Polymer for Thermoelectrics in Air

Air-stable and soluble tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) is demonstrated as an efficient n-type dopant for the conjugated polymer ClBDPPV. Electron transfer from F^- anions to the π-electron-deficient ClBDPPV through anion-π electronic interactions is strongly corroborated by the combined results of electron spin resonance, UV-vis-NIR, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Doping of ClBDPPV with 25 mol% TBAF boosts electrical conductivity to up to 0.62 S cm^-1 , among the highest conductivities that have been reported for solution-processed n-type conjugated polymers, with a thermoelectric power factor of 0.63 µW m^-1 K^-2 in air. Importantly, the Seebeck coefficient agrees with recently published correlations to conductivity. Moreover, the F^- -doped ClBDPPV shows significant air stability, maintaining the conductivity of over 0.1 S cm^-1 in a thick film after exposure to air for one week, to the best of our knowledge the first report of an air-stable solution-processable n-doped conductive polymer with this level of conductivity. The result shows that using solution-processable small-anion salts such as TBAF as an n-dopant of organic conjugated polymers possessing lower LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital), less than -4.2 eV) can open new opportunities toward high-performance air-stable solution-processable n-type thermoelectric (TE) conjugated polymers.

Highly Sensitive Thin-Film Field-Effect Transistor Sensor for Ammonia with the DPP-Bithiophene Conjugated Polymer Entailing Thermally Cleavable tert-Butoxy Groups in the Side Chains

The sensing and detection of ammonia have received increasing attention in recent years because of the growing emphasis on environmental and health issues. In this paper, we report a thin-film field-effect transistor (FET)-based sensor for ammonia and other amines with remarkable high sensitivity and satisfactory selectivity by employing the DPP-bithiophene conjugated polymer pDPPBu-BT in which tert-butoxycarboxyl groups are incorporated in the side chains. This polymer thin film shows p-type semiconducting property. On the basis of TGA and FT-IR analysis, tert-butoxycarboxyl groups can be transformed into the -COOH ones by eliminating gaseous isobutylene after thermal annealing of pDPPBu-BT thin film at 240 °C. The FET with the thermally treated thin film of pDPPBu-BT displays remarkably sensitive and selective response toward ammonia and volatile amines. This can be attributed to the fact that the elimination of gaseous isobutylene accompanies the formation of nanopores with the thin film, which will facilitate the diffusion and interaction of ammonia and other amines with the semiconducting layer, leading to high sensitivity and fast response for this FET sensor. This FET sensor can detect ammonia down to 10 ppb and the interferences from other volatile analytes except amines can be negligible.

Organic field-effect transistor-based gas sensors

This tutorial review reports the recent progress on OFET gas sensors, including their working principle, and protocols for high-performance sensing.

Electrochemical processes and mechanistic aspects of field-effect sensors for biomolecules

Electronic biosensing is a leading technology for determining concentrations of biomolecules. In some cases, the presence of an analyte molecule induces a measured change in current flow, while in other cases, a new potential difference is established. In the particular case of a field effect biosensor, the potential difference is monitored as a change in conductance elsewhere in the device, such as across a film of an underlying semiconductor. Often, the mechanisms that lead to these responses are not specifically determined. Because improved understanding of these mechanisms will lead to improved performance, it is important to highlight those studies where various mechanistic possibilities are investigated. This review explores a range of possible mechanistic contributions to field-effect biosensor signals. First, we define the field-effect biosensor and the chemical interactions that lead to the field effect, followed by a section on theoretical and mechanistic background. We then discuss materials used in field-effect biosensors and approaches to improving signals from field-effect biosensors. We specifically cover the biomolecule interactions that produce local electric fields, structures and processes at interfaces between bioanalyte solutions and electronic materials, semiconductors used in biochemical sensors, dielectric layers used in top-gated sensors, and mechanisms for converting the surface voltage change to higher signal/noise outputs in circuits.

High performance field-effect ammonia sensors based on a structured ultrathin organic semiconductor film

High performance organic field-effect transistor (OFET)-based ammonia sensors are demonstrated with ultrathin (4-6 molecular layers) dendritic microstripes of an organic semiconductor prepared via dip-coating. These sensors exhibit high sensitivity, fast response/recovery rate, good selectivity, low concentration detection ability, and reliable reversibility, as well as stability. Such a performance represents great progress in the field of OFET-based sensors.