Plasma treated graphene FET sensor for the DNA hybridization detection

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) show promise for biosensing applications.
• Surface modification is crucial for optimizing the performance of GFET-based biosensors.
• Detecting DNA hybridization with high sensitivity remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of room-temperature plasma treatment on graphene for DNA hybridization detection.
• To enhance the affinity and electrical properties of graphene-based DNA field-effect transistor (DNA-FET) sensors.
• To establish a facile and effective surface modification method for solution-gated DNA-FET sensors.

Main Methods:

• Graphene-based field-effect transistors (GFETs) were fabricated.
• Room-temperature argon (Ar) plasma treatment was applied to the graphene surface.
• Surface properties (affinity, hydrophilicity) and electrical characteristics were analyzed.
• DNA hybridization detection was performed using the modified DNA-FET sensors.

Main Results:

• Room-temperature Ar plasma treatment effectively cleaned the graphene surface and altered its hydrophilic properties.
• The plasma-treated graphene-based DNA-FET sensors exhibited improved affinity and electrical performance.
• A low limit of detection (LOD) below 10 attomolar (aM) for DNA hybridization was achieved.
• Enhanced sensitivity was observed, indicated by improved DNA concentration (C_DNA) to net drain current (ΔI) ratio and a negative shift in the charge neutrality point (V_CNP) after 30s plasma treatment.

Conclusions:

• Room-temperature plasma treatment is a facile and effective method for surface modification of graphene in FET sensors.
• This technique significantly enhances the performance of solution-gated DNA-FET sensors for sensitive DNA hybridization detection.
• Plasma-treated graphene offers a promising platform for developing advanced biosensing devices.