A Reconfigurable, Pulse-shaping Potentiometric Readout System for Bio-Sensing Transistors

This paper presents a new multi-modality readout system for potentiometric electrochemical sensors. The design adopts a pulse modulation at the gate and drain of the Bio-FET sensors to reduce the effects of charge accumulation between the surface of the electrodes and the ion analytes. The adjustable duration and amplitude of stimuli signals provide flexibility for different biosensing applications and a wide range of detectable concentration. Also, an oscillator-based architecture is proposed for digitization and integration. The counting time can be adjusted to enhance the resolution of the readout system. The proposed potentiometric sensing system was tested with 0.1-10 mM Potassium Ferricyanide (K₃[Fe(CN)₆]), and the results are interpreted in the micro-LCD on the board. The design offers the opportunity for a handheld medical device with fast and real-time monitoring of biomarkers and ion analytes.