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Synthetically encoded ultrashort-channel nanowire transistors for fast, pointlike cellular signal detection.

ABSTRACT: Nanostructures, which have sizes comparable to biological functional units involved in cellular communication, offer the potential for enhanced sensitivity and spatial resolution compared to planar metal and semiconductor structures. Silicon nanowire (SiNW) field-effect transistors (FETs) have been used as a platform for biomolecular sensors, which maintain excellent signal-to-noise ratios while operating on lengths scales that enable efficient extra- and intracellular integration with living cells. Although the NWs are tens of nanometers in diameter, the active region of the NW FET devices typically spans micrometers, limiting both the length and time scales of detection achievable with these nanodevices. Here, we report a new synthetic method that combines gold-nanocluster-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) and vapor-solid-solid (VSS) NW growth modes to produce synthetically encoded NW devices with ultrasharp (<5 nm) n-type highly doped (n(++)) to lightly doped (n) transitions along the NW growth direction, where n(++) regions serve as source/drain (S/D) electrodes and the n-region functions as an active FET channel. Using this method, we synthesized short-channel n(++)/n/n(++) SiNW FET devices with independently controllable diameters and channel lengths. SiNW devices with channel lengths of 50, 80, and 150 nm interfaced with spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes exhibited well-defined extracellular field potential signals with signal-to-noise values of ca. 4 independent of device size. Significantly, these "pointlike" devices yield peak widths of ?500 ?s, which is comparable to the reported time constant for individual sodium ion channels. Multiple FET devices with device separations smaller than 2 ?m were also encoded on single SiNWs, thus enabling multiplexed recording from single cells and cell networks with device-to-device time resolution on the order of a few microseconds. These short-channel SiNW FET devices provide a new opportunity to create nanoscale biomolecular sensors that operate on the length and time scales previously inaccessible by other techniques but necessary to investigate fundamental, subcellular biological processes.

SUBMITTER: Cohen-Karni T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3348975 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Synthetically encoded ultrashort-channel nanowire transistors for fast, pointlike cellular signal detection.

Cohen-Karni Tzahi T Casanova Didier D Cahoon James F JF Qing Quan Q Bell David C DC Lieber Charles M CM

Nano letters 20120406 5

Nanostructures, which have sizes comparable to biological functional units involved in cellular communication, offer the potential for enhanced sensitivity and spatial resolution compared to planar metal and semiconductor structures. Silicon nanowire (SiNW) field-effect transistors (FETs) have been used as a platform for biomolecular sensors, which maintain excellent signal-to-noise ratios while operating on lengths scales that enable efficient extra- and intracellular integration with living ce ...[more]

PMID: 22468846

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Project description:Nanowire field-effect transistors (NW-FETs) have been shown to be powerful building blocks for nanoscale bioelectronic interfaces with cells and tissue due to their excellent sensitivity and their capability to form strongly coupled interfaces with cell membranes. Graphene has also been shown to be an attractive building block for nanoscale electronic devices, although little is known about its interfaces with cells and tissue. Here we report the first studies of graphene field effect transistors (Gra-FETs) as well as combined Gra- and NW-FETs interfaced to electrogenic cells. Gra-FET conductance signals recorded from spontaneously beating embryonic chicken cardiomyocytes yield well-defined extracellular signals with signal-to-noise ratio routinely >4. The conductance signal amplitude was tuned by varying the Gra-FET working region through changes in water gate potential, V(wg). Signals recorded from cardiomyocytes for different V(wg) result in constant calibrated extracellular voltage, indicating a robust graphene/cell interface. Significantly, variations in V(wg) across the Dirac point demonstrate the expected signal polarity flip, thus allowing, for the first time, both n- and p-type recording to be achieved from the same Gra-FET simply by offsetting V(wg). In addition, comparisons of peak-to-peak recorded signal widths made as a function of Gra-FET device sizes and versus NW-FETs allowed an assessment of relative resolution in extracellular recording. Specifically, peak-to-peak widths increased with the area of Gra-FET devices, indicating an averaged signal from different points across the outer membrane of the beating cells. One-dimensional silicon NW- FETs incorporated side by side with the two-dimensional Gra-FET devices further highlighted limits in both temporal resolution and multiplexed measurements from the same cell for the different types of devices. The distinct and complementary capabilities of Gra- and NW-FETs could open up unique opportunities in the field of bioelectronics in the future.

Dataset Information

Synthetically encoded ultrashort-channel nanowire transistors for fast, pointlike cellular signal detection.

Publications

Synthetically encoded ultrashort-channel nanowire transistors for fast, pointlike cellular signal detection.

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