Electrical Characterization and Response Study of a MoTe₂-HfO₂-TFET Biosensor for Selective Detection of MCF-10A Epithelial Cells via Dielectric-Coupled Charge Control Technique

This study presents the electrical characterization of a MoTe₂-HfO₂-TFET biosensor designed for the selective detection of MCF-10A breast epithelial cells through a dielectric-coupled charge control technique. The device employs a dual-cavity MoTe₂-HfO₂-TFET structure, where the cavities beneath the gate serve as sites for immobilizing breast cancer cell lines. Variations in the dielectric constant induced by these cells influence the device’s electrical behavior, including drain current, transconductance, and the I_ON/I_OFF ratio, enabling highly sensitive detection. Performance is further improved by integrating a pocket and extended gate, which enhance gate control and suppress OFF-state current, resulting in superior current sensitivity. Simulation results demonstrate remarkable performance, with drain current sensitivity of 4.0×10⁹, an I_ON/I_OFF ratio of 2.7×10⁵, transit time of 5×10⁵, and a selectivity factor of 7.9×10⁵ between MCF-10A and other breast cancer cell lines. The dielectric-coupled charge control mechanism offers additional benefits such as cost-effectiveness, ease of fabrication, and CMOS compatibility, making the biosensor suitable for scalable array-based breast cancer diagnostics. Overall, the MoTe₂-HfO₂-TFET biosensor provides a non-invasive, highly sensitive alternative to conventional techniques, holding strong potential for early breast cancer detection.