Beyond the Nernst-limit with dual-gate ZnO ion-sensitive field-effect transistors

The sensitivity of conventional ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) is limited to 59 mV/pH, which is the maximum detectable change in electrochemical potential according to the Nernst equation. Here we demonstrate a transducer based on a ZnO dual-gate field-effect transistor that breaches this boundary. To enhance the response to the pH of the electrolyte, a self-assembled monolayer has been used as a top gate dielectric. The sensitivity scales linearly with the ratio between the top and bottom gate capacitances. The sensitivity of our ZnO ISFET of 22 mV/pH is enhanced by more than two orders of magnitude up to 2.25 V/pH. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3546169]