| AVS 55th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Biological, Organic, and Soft Materials Focus Topic | Thursday Sessions |
| Session BO+EM+BI+NC-ThM |
| Session: | Semiconducting Biointerfaces and Sensors |
| Presenter: | F. Ren, University of Florida |
| Authors: | B.S. Kang, University of Florida H.T. Wang, University of Florida K.C. Chen, University of Florida Y.L. Wang, University of Florida T. Lele, University of Florida J. Lin, University of Florida S.J. Pearton, University of Florida F. Ren, University of Florida |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor based sensors are good candidates for low cost, handheld, and wireless chemical and biomedical sensor due to their excellent thermal as well as chemical stability and sensitivity to the changes of ambient. The electrons in the AlGaN/GaN HEMT two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel are induced by piezoelectric and spontaneous polarization effects and there is no dopant needed. There are positive counter charges at the AlGaN surface layer induced by the 2DEG. Any slight changes in the ambient of the AlGaN/GaN HEMT affect the surface charges of the AlGaN/GaN HEMT. These changes in the surface charge are transduced into a change in the concentration of the 2DEG in the AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. We have demonstrated AlGaN/GaN HEMT based individual sensors for protein, DNA, kidney injury molecules, prostate cancer, pH values of the solutions, pH in the exhaled breath condensate, and mercury ions with specific surface functionalizations. We have also demonstrated ZnO nanorod based sensors to detect UV, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and ammonium. Recently, we integrated ZnO nanorods with AlGaN/GaN HEMT to detect glucose in the breath condensate. This approach makes a possibility of integrating AlGaN/GaN HEMT based sensors with ZnO nanorod sensors on a single “smart sensor chip” with the techniques of selective area functionalization and mircofluidic device approaches. This smart sensor chip can be mounted on a handheld, portable, wireless transmitter circuit board.