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Schottky barrier-based silicon nanowire pH sensor with live sensitivity control

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Abstract

We demonstrate a pH sensor based on ultrasensitive nanosize Schottky junctions formed within bottom-up grown dopant-free arrays of assembled silicon nanowires. A new measurement concept relying on a continuous gate sweep is presented, which allows the straightforward determination of the point of maximum sensitivity of the device and allows sensing experiments to be performed in the optimum regime. Integration of devices into a portable fluidic system and an electrode isolation strategy affords a stable environment and enables long time robust FET sensing measurements in a liquid environment to be carried out. Investigations of the physical and chemical sensitivity of our devices at different pH values and a comparison with theoretical limits are also discussed. We believe that such a combination of nanofabrication and engineering advances make this Schottky barrier-powered silicon nanowire lab-on-a-chip platform suitable for efficient biodetection and even for more complex biochemical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany

    Felix M. Zörgiebel, Sebastian Pregl, Lotta Römhildt, Larysa Baraban & Gianaurelio Cuniberti

  2. NaMLab GmbH, 01187, Dresden, Germany

    W. Weber

  3. Fraunhofer Institute IZFP Dresden, 01109, Dresden, Germany

    Jörg Opitz

  4. Institute for Semiconductors and Microsystems Technology, TU Dresden, 01187, Dresden, Germany

    T. Mikolajick

  5. Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany

    Felix M. Zörgiebel, Sebastian Pregl, W. Weber, T. Mikolajick & Gianaurelio Cuniberti

Authors
  1. Felix M. Zörgiebel
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  2. Sebastian Pregl
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  3. Lotta Römhildt
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  4. Jörg Opitz
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  5. W. Weber
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  6. T. Mikolajick
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  7. Larysa Baraban
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  8. Gianaurelio Cuniberti
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Correspondence to Larysa Baraban.

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Zörgiebel, F.M., Pregl, S., Römhildt, L. et al. Schottky barrier-based silicon nanowire pH sensor with live sensitivity control. Nano Res. 7, 263–271 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-013-0393-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-013-0393-8

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