High Sensitivity Detection of Biological Species via the Field-Effect

The ability to identify different biological species in a sample is a subject of intense contemporary research. Reliable and efficient design of biological and chemical sensors using mainstream semiconductor technologies will provide even the small laboratories with the ability to detect diseases that previously could have not been done without advanced and costly equipment. Sensing the presence of DNA molecules using field-effect transistors can prove to be a better alternative to current methods such as DNA microarray technology. Here, we review the main characteristics governing the principles of operation of the BioFET. Issues that affect the sensitivity and reliability of the sensor are introduced, and a brief discussion of the noise properties of these devices is presented.