Organic thin-film transistor sensor arrangements

摘要

A sensor includes an organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) that operates under low voltage conditions in an aqueous environment. According to an example embodiment, an OTFT includes an organic channel that electrically connects source and drain electrodes, with a gate electrode separated from the channel by a dielectric layer. The channel, gate and dielectric layer are arranged to facilitate switching of the channel region to pass current between the source and drain electrodes, in response to a low voltage applied to the gate electrode, when the channel is exposed to an aqueous solution. The current that is passed is indicative of characteristics of the aqueous solution, and is used to characterize the same. For various implementations, the low voltage operation of the sensor facilitates such characterization with substantially no ionic conduction through an analyte in the aqueous solution.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
providing an organic transistor including a gate and including a source, a drain, and an organic semiconducting channel therebetween and with exposed portions of each of the source, drain and channel for permitting direct interaction between each of the source, drain and channel with an aqueous solution; presenting the aqueous solution to the exposed portions; presenting a low voltage to the gate; and sensing, in response to the steps of presenting and to direct chemical interaction between the aqueous solution and the channel while the aqueous solution is also in direct contact with both the source and drain, characteristics of the aqueous solution based on the direct chemical interaction between the aqueous solution and the channel.