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Song J, Liu H, Zhao Z, Lin P, Yan F. Flexible Organic Transistors for Biosensing: Devices and Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2300034. [PMID: 36853083 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202300034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Flexible and stretchable biosensors can offer seamless and conformable biological-electronic interfaces for continuously acquiring high-fidelity signals, permitting numerous emerging applications. Organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) are ideal transducers for flexible and stretchable biosensing due to their soft nature, inherent amplification function, biocompatibility, ease of functionalization, low cost, and device diversity. In consideration of the rapid advances in flexible-OTFT-based biosensors and their broad applications, herein, a timely and comprehensive review is provided. It starts with a detailed introduction to the features of various OTFTs including organic field-effect transistors and organic electrochemical transistors, and the functionalization strategies for biosensing, with a highlight on the seminal work and up-to-date achievements. Then, the applications of flexible-OTFT-based biosensors in wearable, implantable, and portable electronics, as well as neuromorphic biointerfaces are detailed. Subsequently, special attention is paid to emerging stretchable organic transistors including planar and fibrous devices. The routes to impart stretchability, including structural engineering and material engineering, are discussed, and the implementations of stretchable organic transistors in e-skin and smart textiles are included. Finally, the remaining challenges and the future opportunities in this field are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Song
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Zeyu Zhao
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Peng Lin
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials and Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Feng Yan
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, P. R. China
- Research Institute of Intelligent Wearable Systems, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, P. R. China
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2
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Jiang X, Shi C, Wang Z, Huang L, Chi L. Healthcare Monitoring Sensors Based on Organic Transistors: Surface/Interface Strategy and Performance. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2308952. [PMID: 37951211 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Organic transistors possess inherent advantages such as flexibility, biocompatibility, customizable chemical structures, solution-processability, and amplifying capabilities, making them highly promising for portable healthcare sensor applications. Through convenient and diverse modifications at the material and device surfaces or interfaces, organic transistors allow for a wide range of sensor applications spanning from chemical and biological to physical sensing. In this comprehensive review, the surface and interface engineering aspect associated with four types of typical healthcare sensors is focused. The device operation principles and sensing mechanisms are systematically analyzed and highlighted, and particularly surface/interface functionalization strategies that contribute to the enhancement of sensing performance are focused. An outlook and perspective on the critical issues and challenges in the field of healthcare sensing using organic transistors are provided as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Jiang
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Cheng Shi
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Zi Wang
- Suzhou Laboratory, 388 Ruoshui Road, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Lizhen Huang
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Lifeng Chi
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
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3
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Dual-gate thin film transistor lactate sensors operating in the subthreshold regime. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 222:114958. [PMID: 36502715 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Organic thin-film transistors (TFTs) with an electrochemically functionalized sensing gate are promising platforms for wearable health-monitoring technologies because they are light, flexible, and cheap. Achieving both high sensitivity and low power is highly demanding for portable or wearable devices. In this work, we present flexible printed dual-gate (DG) organic TFTs operating in the subthreshold regime with ultralow power and high sensitivity. The subthreshold operation of the gate-modulated TFT-based sensors not only increases the sensitivity but also reduces the power consumption. The DG configuration has deeper depletion and stronger accumulation, thereby further making the subthreshold slope sharper. We integrate an enzymatic lactate-sensing extended-gate electrode into the printed DG TFT and achieve exceptionally high sensitivity (0.77) and ultralow static power consumption (10 nW). Our sensors are successfully demonstrated in physiological lactate monitoring with human saliva. The accuracy of the DG TFT sensing system is as good as that of a high-cost conventional assay. The developed platform can be readily extended to various materials and technologies for high performance wearable sensing applications.
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Ohayon D, Druet V, Inal S. A guide for the characterization of organic electrochemical transistors and channel materials. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:1001-1023. [PMID: 36637165 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00920j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) is one of the most versatile devices within the bioelectronics toolbox, with its compatibility with aqueous media and the ability to transduce and amplify ionic and biological signals into an electronic output. The OECT operation relies on the mixed (ionic and electronic charge) conduction properties of the material in its channel. With the increased popularity of OECTs in bioelectronics applications and to benchmark mixed conduction properties of channel materials, the characterization methods have broadened somewhat heterogeneously. We intend this review to be a guide for the characterization methods of the OECT and the channel materials used. Our review is composed of two main sections. First, we review techniques to fabricate the OECT, introduce different form factors and configurations, and describe the device operation principle. We then discuss the OECT performance figures of merit and detail the experimental procedures to obtain these characteristics. In the second section, we shed light on the characterization of mixed transport properties of channel materials and describe how to assess films' interactions with aqueous electrolytes. In particular, we introduce experimental methods to monitor ion motion and diffusion, charge carrier mobility, and water uptake in the films. We also discuss a few theoretical models describing ion-polymer interactions. We hope that the guidelines we bring together in this review will help researchers perform a more comprehensive and consistent comparison of new materials and device designs, and they will be used to identify advances and opportunities to improve the device performance, progressing the field of organic bioelectronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ohayon
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Organic Bioelectronics Laboratory, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Victor Druet
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Organic Bioelectronics Laboratory, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Sahika Inal
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, Organic Bioelectronics Laboratory, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
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Cho KG, Seol KH, Kim MS, Hong K, Lee KH. Tuning Threshold Voltage of Electrolyte-Gated Transistors by Binary Ion Doping. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:50004-50012. [PMID: 36301020 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c15229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Electrolyte-gated transistors (EGTs) operating at low voltages have attracted significant attention in widespread applications, including neuromorphic devices, nonvolatile memories, chemical/biosensors, and printed electronics. To increase the practicality of the EGTs in electronic circuits, systematic control of threshold voltage (Vth), which determines the power consumption and noise margin of the circuits, is essential. In this study, we present a simple strategy for systematically tuning Vth to almost half of the operating potential range of the EGT by controlling the electrochemical doping of electrolyte ions into organic p-type semiconductors. The type of anion in the ionogel determines Vth as well as other transistor characteristics, such as the subthreshold swing and mobility, because the positive hole carriers are the majority carriers. More importantly, Vth can be finely controlled by binary anion doping using ionogels with two anions with varying molar fractions at a fixed cation. In addition, the binary anion doping successfully controls the inversion characteristics of ion-gated inverters. As unlimited combinations of ion pairs are possible for ionogels, this study opens a route for controlling the device characteristics to expand the practicality and applicability of ionogel-based EGTs for next-generation ionic/electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Gook Cho
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Education and Research Center for Smart Energy and Materials, Inha University, Incheon22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Hwan Seol
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Education and Research Center for Smart Energy and Materials, Inha University, Incheon22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Su Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Education and Research Center for Smart Energy and Materials, Inha University, Incheon22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Kihyon Hong
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University (CNU), Daejeon34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun Hyung Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Education and Research Center for Smart Energy and Materials, Inha University, Incheon22212, Republic of Korea
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Tan STM, Lee G, Denti I, LeCroy G, Rozylowicz K, Marks A, Griggs S, McCulloch I, Giovannitti A, Salleo A. Tuning Organic Electrochemical Transistor Threshold Voltage using Chemically Doped Polymer Gates. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2202359. [PMID: 35737653 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202202359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have shown promise as transducers and amplifiers of minute electronic potentials due to their large transconductances. Tuning the OECT threshold voltage is important to achieve low-powered devices with amplification properties within the desired operational voltage range. However, traditional design approaches have struggled to decouple channel and materials properties from threshold voltage, thereby compromising on several other OECT performance metrics, such as electrochemical stability, transconductance, and dynamic range. In this work, simple solution-processing methods are utilized to chemically dope polymer gate electrodes, thereby controlling their work function, which in turn tunes the operation voltage range of the OECTs without perturbing their channel properties. Chemical doping of initially air-sensitive polymer electrodes further improves their electrochemical stability in ambient conditions. Thus, OECTs that are simultaneously low-powered and electrochemically resistant to oxidative side reactions under ambient conditions are demonstrated. This approach shows that threshold voltage, which is once interwoven with other OECT properties, can in fact be an independent design parameter, expanding the design space of OECTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siew Ting Melissa Tan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, California, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Gijun Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, California, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ilaria Denti
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, California, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Garrett LeCroy
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, California, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Kalee Rozylowicz
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, California, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Adam Marks
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, California, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Sophie Griggs
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Iain McCulloch
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Alexander Giovannitti
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, California, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Alberto Salleo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, California, CA, 94305, USA
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7
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Özsoylu D, Wagner T, Schöning MJ. Electrochemical Cell-based Biosensors for Biomedical Applications. Curr Top Med Chem 2022; 22:713-733. [DOI: 10.2174/1568026622666220304213617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:
Electrochemical cell-based biosensors have been showing increasing interest within the last 15 years, with a large number of reports generally dealing with the sensors’ sensitivity, selectivity, stability, signal-to-noise ratio, spatiotemporal resolution, etc. However, only a few of them are now available as commercial products on the market. In this review, technological advances, current challenges and opportunities of electrochemical cell-based biosensors are presented. The article encompasses emerging studies, mainly focusing on the last five years (from 2016 to mid 2021), towards cell-based biological field-effect devices, cell-based impedimetric sensors and cell-based microelectrode arrays. In addition, special attention lies on recent progress in recording at the single-cellular level, including intracellular monitoring with high spatiotemporal resolution as well as integration into microfluidics for lab-on-a-chip applications. Moreover, a comprehensive discussion on challenges and future perspectives will address the future potential of electrochemical cell-based biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dua Özsoylu
- Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies (INB), Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Jülich, Germany
| | - Torsten Wagner
- Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies (INB), Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-3), Research Centre Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Michael J. Schöning
- Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies (INB), Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-3), Research Centre Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
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8
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC) Lanzhou University Lanzhou P. R. China
| | - Zitong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC) Lanzhou University Lanzhou P. R. China
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9
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Pitsalidis C, Pappa AM, Boys AJ, Fu Y, Moysidou CM, van Niekerk D, Saez J, Savva A, Iandolo D, Owens RM. Organic Bioelectronics for In Vitro Systems. Chem Rev 2021; 122:4700-4790. [PMID: 34910876 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Bioelectronics have made strides in improving clinical diagnostics and precision medicine. The potential of bioelectronics for bidirectional interfacing with biology through continuous, label-free monitoring on one side and precise control of biological activity on the other has extended their application scope to in vitro systems. The advent of microfluidics and the considerable advances in reliability and complexity of in vitro models promise to eventually significantly reduce or replace animal studies, currently the gold standard in drug discovery and toxicology testing. Bioelectronics are anticipated to play a major role in this transition offering a much needed technology to push forward the drug discovery paradigm. Organic electronic materials, notably conjugated polymers, having demonstrated technological maturity in fields such as solar cells and light emitting diodes given their outstanding characteristics and versatility in processing, are the obvious route forward for bioelectronics due to their biomimetic nature, among other merits. This review highlights the advances in conjugated polymers for interfacing with biological tissue in vitro, aiming ultimately to develop next generation in vitro systems. We showcase in vitro interfacing across multiple length scales, involving biological models of varying complexity, from cell components to complex 3D cell cultures. The state of the art, the possibilities, and the challenges of conjugated polymers toward clinical translation of in vitro systems are also discussed throughout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalampos Pitsalidis
- Department of Physics, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 127788, Abu Dhabi 127788, UAE.,Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Anna-Maria Pappa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 127788, Abu Dhabi 127788, UAE
| | - Alexander J Boys
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Ying Fu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K.,Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Technology and Innovation Centre, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1RD, U.K
| | - Chrysanthi-Maria Moysidou
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Douglas van Niekerk
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Janire Saez
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K.,Microfluidics Cluster UPV/EHU, BIOMICs Microfluidics Group, Lascaray Research Center, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Avenida Miguel de Unamuno, 3, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, E-48011 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Achilleas Savva
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Donata Iandolo
- INSERM, U1059 Sainbiose, Université Jean Monnet, Mines Saint-Étienne, Université de Lyon, 42023 Saint-Étienne, France
| | - Róisín M Owens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K
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Torricelli F, Adrahtas DZ, Bao Z, Berggren M, Biscarini F, Bonfiglio A, Bortolotti CA, Frisbie CD, Macchia E, Malliaras GG, McCulloch I, Moser M, Nguyen TQ, Owens RM, Salleo A, Spanu A, Torsi L. Electrolyte-gated transistors for enhanced performance bioelectronics. NATURE REVIEWS. METHODS PRIMERS 2021; 1:66. [PMID: 35475166 PMCID: PMC9037952 DOI: 10.1038/s43586-021-00065-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Electrolyte-gated transistors (EGTs), capable of transducing biological and biochemical inputs into amplified electronic signals and stably operating in aqueous environments, have emerged as fundamental building blocks in bioelectronics. In this Primer, the different EGT architectures are described with the fundamental mechanisms underpinning their functional operation, providing insight into key experiments including necessary data analysis and validation. Several organic and inorganic materials used in the EGT structures and the different fabrication approaches for an optimal experimental design are presented and compared. The functional bio-layers and/or biosystems integrated into or interfaced to EGTs, including self-organization and self-assembly strategies, are reviewed. Relevant and promising applications are discussed, including two-dimensional and three-dimensional cell monitoring, ultra-sensitive biosensors, electrophysiology, synaptic and neuromorphic bio-interfaces, prosthetics and robotics. Advantages, limitations and possible optimizations are also surveyed. Finally, current issues and future directions for further developments and applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Torricelli
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Demetra Z. Adrahtas
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Zhenan Bao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Magnus Berggren
- Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden
| | - Fabio Biscarini
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Center for Translational Neurophysiology of Speech and Communication, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Annalisa Bonfiglio
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Carlo A. Bortolotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - C. Daniel Frisbie
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Eleonora Macchia
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - George G. Malliaras
- Electrical Engineering Division, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Iain McCulloch
- Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, KAUST Solar Center (KSC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Maximilian Moser
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Thuc-Quyen Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Róisín M. Owens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alberto Salleo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Andrea Spanu
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Luisa Torsi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
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11
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Giridharagopal R, Guo J, Kong J, Ginger DS. Nanowire Architectures Improve Ion Uptake Kinetics in Conjugated Polymer Electrochemical Transistors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:34616-34624. [PMID: 34270213 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c08176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Organic electrochemical transistors are believed to face an inherent material design tension between optimizing for ion mobility and for electronic mobility. These devices transduce ion uptake into electrical current, thereby requiring high ion mobility for efficient electrochemical doping and rapid turn-on kinetics and high electronic mobility for the maximum transconductance. Here, we explore a facile route to improve operational kinetics and volumetric capacitance in a high-mobility conjugated polymer (poly[2,5-(2-octyldodecyl)-3,6-diketopyrrolopyrrole-alt-5,5-(2,5-di(thien-2-yl)thieno [3,2-b]thiophene)], DPP-DTT) by employing a nanowire morphology. For equivalent thicknesses, the DPP-DTT nanowire films exhibit consistently faster kinetics (∼6-10× faster) compared to a neat DPP-DTT film. The nanowire architectures show ∼4× higher volumetric capacitance, increasing from 7.1 to 27.7 F/cm3, consistent with the porous structure better enabling ion uptake throughout the film. The nanowires also exhibit a small but energetically favorable shift in a threshold voltage of ∼17 mV, making the nanostructured system both faster and energetically easier to electrochemically dope compared to neat films. We explain the variation using two atomic force microscopy methods: in situ electrochemical strain microscopy and nanoinfrared imaging via photoinduced force microscopy. These data show that the nanowire film's structure allows greater swelling and ion uptake throughout the active layer, indicating that the nanowire architecture exhibits volumetric operation, whereas the neat film is largely operating via the field effect. We propose that for higher-mobility materials, casting the active layer in a nanowire form may offer faster kinetics, enhanced volumetric capacitance, and possibly lower threshold voltage while maintaining desirable device performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajiv Giridharagopal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Jiajie Guo
- Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Jessica Kong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - David S Ginger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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12
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Spanu A, Martines L, Bonfiglio A. Interfacing cells with organic transistors: a review of in vitro and in vivo applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:795-820. [PMID: 33565540 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01007c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recently, organic bioelectronics has attracted considerable interest in the scientific community. The impressive growth that it has undergone in the last 10 years has allowed the rise of the completely new field of cellular organic bioelectronics, which has now the chance to compete with consolidated approaches based on devices such as micro-electrode arrays and ISFET-based transducers both in in vitro and in vivo experimental practice. This review focuses on cellular interfaces based on organic active devices and has the intent of highlighting the recent advances and the most innovative approaches to the ongoing and everlasting challenge of interfacing living matter to the "external world" in order to unveil the hidden mechanisms governing its behavior. Device-wise, three different organic structures will be considered in this work, namely the organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), the solution-gated organic transistor (SGOFET - which is presented here in two possible different versions according to the employed active material, namely: the electrolyte-gated organic transistor - EGOFET, and the solution gated graphene transistor - gSGFET), and the organic charge modulated field effect transistor (OCMFET). Application-wise, this work will mainly focus on cellular-based biosensors employed in in vitro and in vivo cellular interfaces, with the aim of offering the reader a comprehensive retrospective of the recent past, an overview of the latest innovations, and a glance at the future prospects of this challenging, yet exciting and still mostly unexplored scientific field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Spanu
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo, 09123 Cagliari, CA, Italy.
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13
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Zhang Y, Zeng Q, Shen Y, Yang L, Yu F. Electrochemical Stability Investigations and Drug Toxicity Tests of Electrolyte-Gated Organic Field-Effect Transistors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:56216-56221. [PMID: 33327057 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c15024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors (EGOFETs) are emerging as a new frontier of organic bioelectronics, with promising applications in biosensing, pharmaceutical testing, and neuroscience. However, the limited charge carriers' mobility and well-known environmental instability of conjugated polymers constrain the real applications of organic bioelectronics. Here, we comparatively studied the electrochemical stability of p-type conjugated polymer films in the EGOFET configuration. By combining electrochemical stability tests, morphology characterization, and EQCM-D monitoring, we find that a donor-acceptor copolymer, poly(N-alkyldiketopyrrolo-pyrrole-dithienylthieno[3,2-b]thiophene) (DPP-DTT) shows improved mobility and electrochemical stability under an electrolyte, which may benefit from the ordered morphology and close alkyl side-chains' interdigitation preventing water diffusion and ion doping during long-term operation under an electrolyte. Based on the DPP-DTT EGOFETs, we have demonstrated a low-cost drug toxicity test platform that is sensitive enough to distinguish the cytotoxicity of different chemicals. This study overall pushes forward the development of organic bioelectronics with enhanced stability and sensitivity and presents successful exploitation of EGOFET in pharmaceutical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Qiming Zeng
- Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Yujie Shen
- Shenzhen Pynect Science and Technology Ltd., Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
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14
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Lin BR, Cheng HL, Lin JH, Wu FC, Wang YW, Chou WY. Enhanced Functionality of Dual-Gate Organic Transistors Based on Semiconducting/Insulating Polyblend-Induced Asymmetric Charge Modulation Layers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:47763-47773. [PMID: 32967424 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c06301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dual-gate organic thin-film transistors (DG-OTFTs) with enhanced functionality, including large current enhancement behavior, highly efficient threshold voltage controllability, and self-contained dual-mode logic gate features, are reported. These DG-OTFTs are based on a semiconducting/insulating polyblend-based active layer with asymmetric top and bottom charge modulation layers (atb-CMLs). The atb-CMLs are automatically generated through the preparation of multilayer stacks of phase-separated semiconducting poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):insulating poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) polyblend layer, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) layer, and cross-linked-poly(4-vinylphenol) (cPVP) layer. They consist of a thin PMMA bottom layer and an uneven-shaped PMMA:PVDF miscible mixture-based top layer. The presence of the polarizable insulating PMMA, PVDF, and PMMA:PVDF mixture regions causes the bottom and top CMLs to experience electrical polarization, which induces the dipole field to achieve efficient charge modulation functions in DG-OTFTs. Owing to the presence of atb-CMLs, the DG-OTFTs exhibit unprecedented electrical characteristics, such as the easy depletion of the bottom channel by the top gate potential. However, the top channel can work properly only when given a bottom gate potential (either positive or negative). Given these unusual electrical features, the design of the fundamental dual-mode logic gates (e.g., AND and OR gates) can be achieved with just one DG transistor. This finding opens an interesting direction for the preparation of DG-OTFTs with diverse operating modes and increasing functionality, thereby widening the application potential of such transistors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Ren Lin
- Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Long Cheng
- Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Hui Lin
- Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Chiao Wu
- Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Wu Wang
- Institute of Photonics, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua 500, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Yang Chou
- Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
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15
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Scuratti F, Bonacchini GE, Bossio C, Salazar-Rios JM, Talsma W, Loi MA, Antognazza MR, Caironi M. Real-Time Monitoring of Cellular Cultures with Electrolyte-Gated Carbon Nanotube Transistors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:37966-37972. [PMID: 31532607 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b11383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based biosensors constitute a fundamental tool in biotechnology, and their relevance has greatly increased in recent years as a result of a surging demand for reduced animal testing and for high-throughput and cost-effective in vitro screening platforms dedicated to environmental and biomedical diagnostics, drug development, and toxicology. In this context, electrochemical/electronic cell-based biosensors represent a promising class of devices that enable long-term and real-time monitoring of cell physiology in a noninvasive and label-free fashion, with a remarkable potential for process automation and parallelization. Common limitations of this class of devices at large include the need for substrate surface modification strategies to ensure cell adhesion and immobilization, limited compatibility with complementary optical cell-probing techniques, and the need for frequency-dependent measurements, which rely on elaborated equivalent electrical circuit models for data analysis and interpretation. We hereby demonstrate the monitoring of cell adhesion and detachment through the time-dependent variations in the quasi-static characteristic current curves of a highly stable electrolyte-gated transistor, based on an optically transparent network of printable polymer-wrapped semiconducting carbon-nanotubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Scuratti
- Center for Nano Science and Technology @PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Giovanni Pascoli, 70/3 , 20133 Milano , Italy
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering , Politecnico di Milano , Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32 , 20133 Milano , Italy
| | - Giorgio E Bonacchini
- Center for Nano Science and Technology @PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Giovanni Pascoli, 70/3 , 20133 Milano , Italy
| | - Caterina Bossio
- Center for Nano Science and Technology @PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Giovanni Pascoli, 70/3 , 20133 Milano , Italy
| | - Jorge M Salazar-Rios
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Wytse Talsma
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Maria A Loi
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Maria Rosa Antognazza
- Center for Nano Science and Technology @PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Giovanni Pascoli, 70/3 , 20133 Milano , Italy
| | - Mario Caironi
- Center for Nano Science and Technology @PoliMi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Via Giovanni Pascoli, 70/3 , 20133 Milano , Italy
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16
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Wang X, Wang Y, Wu Y, Xiao Y. A highly sensitive and versatile chiral sensor based on a top-gate organic field effect transistor functionalized with thiolated β-cyclodextrin. Analyst 2019; 144:2611-2617. [DOI: 10.1039/c8an02339e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A chiral sensor was successfully constructed by modifying an OFET gate with SH-β-CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuepeng Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology
- Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Functional Fine Chemicals
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin 300072
- China
| | - Yong Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin)
- Tianjin 300072
- China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science
- Department of Chemistry
| | - Yifan Wu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology
- Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Functional Fine Chemicals
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin 300072
- China
| | - Yin Xiao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology
- Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Functional Fine Chemicals
- Tianjin University
- Tianjin 300072
- China
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17
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Piro B, Mattana G, Reisberg S. Transistors for Chemical Monitoring of Living Cells. BIOSENSORS 2018; 8:E65. [PMID: 29973542 PMCID: PMC6164306 DOI: 10.3390/bios8030065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
We review here the chemical sensors for pH, glucose, lactate, and neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine or glutamate, made of organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), including organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) and electrolyte-gated OFETs (EGOFETs), for the monitoring of cell activity. First, the various chemicals that are produced by living cells and are susceptible to be sensed in-situ in a cell culture medium are reviewed. Then, we discuss the various materials used to make the substrate onto which cells can be grown, as well as the materials used for making the transistors. The main part of this review discusses the up-to-date transistor architectures that have been described for cell monitoring to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoît Piro
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, 15 rue J-A de Baïf, 75205 Paris CEDEX 13, France.
| | - Giorgio Mattana
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, 15 rue J-A de Baïf, 75205 Paris CEDEX 13, France.
| | - Steeve Reisberg
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, 15 rue J-A de Baïf, 75205 Paris CEDEX 13, France.
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18
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Doris SE, Pierre A, Street RA. Dynamic and Tunable Threshold Voltage in Organic Electrochemical Transistors. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:e1706757. [PMID: 29498110 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201706757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2017] [Revised: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have found applications in chemical and biological sensing and interfacing, neuromorphic computing, digital logic, and printed electronics. However, the incorporation of OECTs in practical electronic circuits is limited by the relative lack of control over their threshold voltage, which is important for controlling the power consumption and noise margin in complementary and unipolar circuits. Here, the threshold voltage of OECTs is precisely tuned over a range of more than 1 V by chemically controlling the electrochemical potential at the gate electrode. This threshold voltage tunability is exploited to prepare inverters and amplifiers with improved noise margin and gain, respectively. By coupling the gate electrode with an electrochemical oscillator, single-transistor oscillators based on OECTs with dynamic time-varying threshold voltages are prepared. This work highlights the importance of electrochemistry at the gate electrode in determining the electrical properties of OECTs, and opens a path toward the system-level design of low-power OECT-based electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean E Doris
- Palo Alto Research Center-a Xerox Company, 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Adrien Pierre
- Palo Alto Research Center-a Xerox Company, 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Robert A Street
- Palo Alto Research Center-a Xerox Company, 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
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