Development of selective and highly sensitive organic thin film transistor based bio sensors

可穿戴或可植入的装有传感器的设备可以检测关键的生理参数，存储数据，甚至在需要时提供药物。有机电子学的使用对所有这些应用的功能都是必不可少的或非常有益的。有机电子设备是使用导电碳基材料代替硅的设备。它们的制造成本相对较低，可以很容易地集成到柔性甚至生物相容的基板中。然而，作为一项新兴技术，需要更多的研究来提高性能，器件稳定性和寿命，并了解和预测器件与生物环境的相互作用。有机薄膜晶体管（OTFTs）基于场效应控制电流，允许基本的逻辑门操作。基于otft的传感器已用于许多应用，例如葡萄糖传感，用于现场医学诊断，检测爆炸性材料，用于下一代机器人/健康监测的人造皮肤或“电子皮肤”，以及用于检测变质食物的电子鼻。我的研究小组已经使用n型和p型otft来制造特定的DNA传感器和基于大麻素的传感器。有机小分子和聚合物中固有的多功能性促进了感兴趣的分析物和活性物质之间的独特化学反应，并且随后可以将这种反应转化为电信号。我们还研究了不同环境对各种半导体材料和OTFT操作的影响，这是理解材料在传感器中的潜在用途的关键。主要的挑战是这些传感器在暴露于分析物时不能产生足够的电流，因此必须使用昂贵的电源仪表进行表征。对于使用现成电子元件的手持式护理点操作，我们需要从由此产生的传感器显著增加电流。该项目旨在通过以下方式改善传感器产生的绝对电流和电流差：A)工程空气稳定和高性能硅酞菁半导体；B)开发高电容聚（离子液体）嵌段共聚物电解质门控介质和C)通过定向剪切和表面诱导结晶的高性能器件。最后，该计划将使设计和开发一个平台来评估高选择性一次性护理点生物传感器。从现场检测食品腐烂和食品传播病原体以提高食品安全到检测麻醉品以改善执法：这种类型的传感器平台具有大量可行的商业应用。

Wearable or implantable, sensor-laden devices can detect key physiological parameters, store data, and even deliver drugs when needed. The use of organic electronics is either essential or highly beneficial to the functioning of all these applications. Organic electronics are devices that use conductive carbon based materials instead of silicon. They are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and can easily be integrated into flexible and even biocompatible substrates. However, as an emerging technology, more research is needed to improve performance, device stability and lifetime, and to understand, as well as predict, device interaction with biological environments. Organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) are based on field-effect controlled current allowing for basic logic-gate operations. OTFT-based sensors have been used in numerous applications, such as glucose sensing, for in-situ medical diagnostics, detecting explosive materials, building artificial skin or “e-skin” for next-generation robotics/health monitoring, and as an electronic nose for detection of spoiled food. My research group has used both n-type and p-type-based OTFTs to fabricate specific DNA sensors and Cannabinoid-based sensors. The versatility inherent in organic small molecules and polymers facilitates a unique chemical response between an analyte of interest and the active material, and can subsequently translate this response into an electrical signal. We have also studied the effect of different environments on various semiconductor materials and OTFT operation, which is key to understanding the potential use of materials in sensors. The major challenge is that these sensors do not produce enough current when exposed to analytes and therefore must be characterized using expensive electrical source meters. For hand held, point of care operation using off the shelf electronic components we require significant increases in current from the resulting sensors. This program aims to improve the absolute current generated and the current differential generated from the sensors through: A) Engineering air stable and high performing silicon phthalocyanine semiconductors; B) Development of high capacitance poly(ionic liquid) block copolymer electrolyte gating medium and C) High performing devices through directional shearing and surface induced crystallization. Finally, this program will enable the design and development of a platform to evaluate highly selective disposable point of care biosensors. From on the spot detection of food decay and food born pathogens for improved food safety to the detection of narcotics for improved law enforcement: this type of sensor platform has a plethora of viable commercial applications.