Silicon-based field-effect devices for (bio-)chemical sensing

The coupling of semiconductor field-effect devices (FEDs) together with chemical and biological recognition elements, like functional intelligent materials, biomolecules and living cells, represents an attractive platform for creating various bio- and chemical sensors, multi-parameter analysis systems and biochips. This paper is focussing on recent developments and current research activities in the field of (bio-)chemically modified FEDs at the Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies, scaling down from capacitive EIS (electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor) sensors and LAPS (light-addressable potentiometric sensor) to ISFETs (ion-sensitive field-effect transistor). Selected examples of application of FEDs are presented. With the aim of future development of nano-devices for bio- and chemical sensing, the possibility of a simple preparation of self-aligned nano-structures by using conventional photolithography and pattern-size reduction technique as well as nanoparticle-based field-effect sensors will be discussed, too.