Dielectric-Modulated Biosensing with Ultrahigh-Frequency-Operated Graphene Field-Effect Transistors

Abstract

Owing to their excellent electrical properties and chemical stability, graphene field-effect transistors (Gr-FET) are extensively studied for biosensing applications. However, hinging on surface interactions of charged biomolecules, the sensitivity of Gr-FET is hampered by ionic screening under physiological conditions with high salt concentrations up to frequencies as high as MHz. Here, an electrolyte-gated Gr-FET in reflectometry mode at ultrahigh frequencies (UHF, around 2 GHz), where the ionic screening is fully cancelled and the dielectric sensitivity of the device allows the Gr-FET to directly function in high-salt solutions, is configured. Strikingly, by simultaneous characterization using electrolyte gating and UHF reflectometry, the developed graphene biosensors offer unprecedented capability for real-time monitoring of dielectric-specified biomolecular/cell interactions/activities, with superior limit of detection compared to that of previously reported nanoscale high-frequency sensors. These achievements highlight the unique potential of ultrahigh-frequency operation for unblocking the true potential of graphene biosensors for point-of-care diagnostic.

Keywords: dielectric modulation; field effect; graphene biosensors; ionic screening; ultrahigh frequency.