Nano-scale Field Effect Transistor for Single-Biomolecule Sensing
Master projects/internships - Leuven | More than two weeks ago
With significant progress in CMOS process technology, we are now able to manufacture nano-scale Field-Effect Transistors (FETs) down to 7 nm. This has opened doors not just for more efficient and higher performance computing but also for extremely high throughput biomolecule sensing.
An important innovation lies in the large-scale integration of nanoscale transistors for analyzing biological systems like the genome and proteome. A nanoscale FET chip could provide for a massively parallel screening platform and deliver a more complete view of a biological system at a reasonable cost. However, to achieve such a high-throughput sensor chip several challenges remain to be tackled. In this master thesis, the student will investigate nano-sized field effect transistors, bioFETs, for their ability to sense single biomolecules in electrolytic environments and try to understand the impact of the properties of the sensed molecule and/or the effect of the molecule, surface coatings and functionalization on bio-sensing.
Previous research at imec, has shown that the surface of the transistor sensor plays an important role in FET-based biosensing. Therefore, we aim to perform single-molecule measurements in conditions which result in an optimal surface for FET-based biosensing. These measurements have resulted in promising results. However, clear evidence of single molecules binding to the FET sensor need to be demonstrated still. The target molecule’s properties, such as its charge, shape, etc. play a crucial role in the signal magnitude. Synthetic molecules can be designed to probe for the impact of different properties and boost the single-molecule signal.
During the master thesis, these FET sensors will be characterized in detail to understand their behavior for different types and concentrations of target molecules. Work can also be done on more advanced analysis of the FET (single molecule) signals including the exploration of filtering methods, step detection algorithms etc. Optionally the experimental work can be supported by a modeling study to understand and explain the magnitude of the observed single-molecule signal. The impact of the electrical transport regime in the nano-scaled FET sensors can be explored by comparing simulation results from commercial TCAD simulation software and an in-house quantum mechanical solver. Consequently, the thesis will involve working in the bio-chemistry labs, performing electrical characterization, data analysis and optional bioFET transport simulations.
Type of project: Thesis, Internship
Duration: 6 months full-time or 1 academic year
Required degree: Master of Science
Required background: Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Physics, Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, Bioscience Engineering
Supervising scientist(s): For further information or for application, please contact: Sybren Santermans (Sybren.Santermans@imec.be) and Koen Martens (Koen.Martens@imec.be)
Imec allowance will be provided for students studying at a non-Belgian university.