Organic field effect transistors (OFET) operated in aqueous environments are emerging as ultra-sensitive biosensors and transducers of electrical and electrochemical signals from a biological environment. Their applications range from detection of biomarkers in bodily fluids to implants for bidirectional communication with the central nervous system. They can be used in diagnostics, advanced treatments and theranostics. Several OFET layouts have been demonstrated to be effective in aqueous operations, which are distinguished either by their architecture or by the respective mechanism of doping by the ions in the electrolyte solution. In this work we discuss the unification of the seemingly different architectures, such as electrolyte-gated OFET (EGOFET), organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) and dual-gate ion-sensing FET. We first demonstrate that these architectures give rise to the frequency-dependent response of a synapstor (synapse-like transistor), with enhanced or depressed modulation of the output current depending on the frequency of the time-dependent gate voltage. This behavior that was reported for OFETs with embedded metal nanoparticles shows the existence of a capacitive coupling through an equivalent network of RC elements. Upon the systematic change of ions in the electrolyte and the morphology of the charge transport layer, we show how the time scale of the synapstor is changed. We finally show how the substrate plays effectively the role of a second bottom gate, whose potential is actually fixed by the pH/composition of the electrolyte and the gate voltage applied.
A whole organic artificial synapse has been fabricated by patterning PEDOT:PSS electrodes on PDMS that are biased in frequency to yield a STP response. The timescale of the STP response is shown to be sensitive to the concentration of dopamine, DA, a neurotransmitter relevant for monitoring the development of Parkinson’s disease and potential locoregional therapies. The sensitivity of the sensor towards DA has been validated comparing signal variation in the presence of DA and its principal interfering agent, ascorbic acid, AA. The whole organic synapse is biocompatible, soft and flexible, and is attractive for implantable devices aimed to real-time monitoring of DA concentration in bodily fluids. This may open applications in chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.
Conducting polymer electrodes based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) are used to record extracellular signals from autonomous cardiac contractile cells and glioma cell cultures. The performance of these conducting polymer electrodes is compared with Au electrodes. A small-signal impedance analysis shows that in the presence of an electrolyte, both Au and polymer electrodes establish high capacitive double-layers. However, the polymer/electrolyte interfacial resistance is 3 orders of magnitude lower than the resistance of the metal/electrolyte interface. The polymer low interfacial resistance minimizes the intrinsic thermal noise and increases the system sensitivity. However, when measurements are carried out in current mode a low interfacial resistance partially acts as a short circuit of the interfacial capacitance, this affects the signal shape.
The electrical stability of metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) capacitors and field effect transistor structures based in organic semiconductors were investigated. The device characteristics were studied using steady state measurements AC admittance measurements as well as techniques for addressing trap states. Temperature-dependent measurements show clear evidence that an electrical instability occurs above 200 K and is caused by an electronic trapping process. It is suggested that the trapping sites are created by a change in the organic conjugated chain, a process similar to a phase transition.
The interpretation of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of adsorbed molecules requires a redefinition of the current, that goes beyond the limitations imposed by the Transfer Hamiltonian formalism. Here we discuss two expressions for the tunneling current we derived, both suitable for situations in which an adsorbate is placed between tip and substrate. The former is still based on a perturbative approach, but emphasizes the contributions to the STM current due to the adsorbate. The latter is an exact expression obtained by treating the STM current like an electron transport process. This allows the inclusion of both the quantum aspects of the transport and thermal effects, and it can be used in widely different situations.
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