CMOS-Compatible Nanowire Biosensors

Abstract

Very low-noise, low-frequency, and high-gain amplifiers are difficult to implement on small-geometry complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes because of the inherently high value of the low-frequency flicker noise. Silicon nanowire devices, which are effectively low- (or one-) dimensional resistive semiconductor channels, display conductance sensitivity to surface charges due to their high surface area-to-volume ratio. Nanowire biosensors designed using this principle, namely, measuring changes in conductance. The methods reported in the literature are based upon direct measurement of the change in DC conductance of the nanowire due to the attachment of a molecule of interest to the functionalized surface. The methods reported in the literature are based upon direct measurement of the change in DC conductance of the nanowire due to the attachment of a molecule of interest to the functionalized surface.