| AVS 60th International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| Biomaterial Interfaces | Thursday Sessions |
| Session BI+NL+NS+SS-ThM |
| Session: | Bio/Nano Interfaces |
| Presenter: | P.E. Sheehan, Naval Research Laboratory |
| Authors: | P.E. Sheehan, Naval Research Laboratory R. Stine, Nova Research S.P. Mulvaney, Naval Research Laboratory J.T. Robinson, Naval Research Laboratory C.R. Tamanaha, Naval Research Laboratory |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Graphene, a one-atom thick sheet of sp2 carbon, offers many intriguing possibilities in the field of molecular sensing. Its unique combination of large areas with nanometer thickness and high electrical conductivity could enable small scale device sensitivity with large scale production methods. A major benefit of using graphene is the large toolbox of well-established chemistries for incorporating chemical functionalities or specific recognition elements at the device surface. Here, we will discuss our efforts to develop graphene-based biological field-effect transistors (BioFETs), which offer sensitivity comparable to sensors made with other nanoscale materials (carbon nanotubes, nanowires), but with greatly simplified production methods common in the semiconductor industry. Devices utilizing both graphene and graphene oxide will be covered, and surface spectroscopic studies of the material modification will be discussed. Successful results for the detection of specific DNA hybridization using graphene BioFETs will also be presented. We will further discuss our efforts to use graphene as a biofunctionalized interface for a number of materials, from polymers to dielectrics to semiconductors, of interest to the biosensing community. Graphene’s ultrathin nature allows its inclusion in more traditional sensing platforms as a non-intrusive functionalization layer, discreetly lending its chemical flexibility to other, more inert materials without significantly impacting the sensing device.