Hybrid amperometric and conductometric chemical sensor based on conducting polymer nanojunctions

We report on a hybrid chemical sensor that can perform either amperometric or conductometric detection alone or simultaneously. It consists of an array of electrode pairs in which the two electrodes in each pair are separated with micrometer to nanometer-scale gaps. The gaps are bridged with conducting polymer (polyaniline) so that one can measure the conductance of the polymer bridge like a conventional Chem-FET. The electrode geometries are designed to allow simultaneously detection of electrochemical current like a conventional microelectrode amperometric sensor. The hybrid device provides increased selectivity for detection of analytes in complex matrixes and may provide new insights into the electrochemical reaction mechanisms of analytes. As an example, we have demonstrated the detection of dilute neurotransmitter (dopamine) in the presence of its concentrated major physiological interferent, ascorbic acid, which is not possible using either the amperometric or the conductometric techniques alone.