Sensors using high electron mobility transistors
Embodiments of the invention include sensors comprising AlGaAs/GaAs high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), inGaP/GaAs HEMTs. InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs, AlGaAs/InGaAs PHEMTs, InAlAs/InGaAs PHEMTs, Sb based HEMTs, or InAs based HEMTs, the HEMTs having functionalization at a gate surface with target receptors. The target receptors allow sensitivity to targets (or substrates) for detecting breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney injury, chloride, glucose, metals or pEI where a signal is generated by the HEMI when a solution is contacted with the sensor. The solution can be blood, saliva, urine, breath condensate, or any solution suspected of containing any specific analyte for the sensor.
1. A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) based sensor comprising:
a HEMT having a source, a drain, and a gate area
at least one target receptor on the gate region of the HEMT, the at least one target receptor functionalizing the HEMT as a sensor for a target corresponding to the at least one target receptor,
wherein the source of the HEMT is configured to receive a fixed voltage and an output current resulting from exposure of the at least one target receptor to an amount of the target is sensed at the drain of the HEMT; and
wherein the HEMT is an AlGaAs/GaAs HEMT, an InGaP/GaAs HEMT, an InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT, an AlGaAs/InGaAs PHEMT, an InAlAs/InGaAs PHEMT, an Sb based HEMT, or an InAs based HEMT.
2. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one target receptor comprises a cancer antigen antibody.
3. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the cancer antigen antibody is a prostate specific antigen (PSA) or one or more breast cancer antigen antibodies selected from the group consisting of EGF, c-erbB-2, and CA15-3.
4. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the functionalization further comprises a gold layer on the gate region of the HEMT; and a binding group layer coupling the cancer antigen antibody to the gold layer.
5. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the binding group layer comprises thioglycolic acid.
6. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one target receptor comprises a kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) antibody.
7. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 6 , wherein the functionalization further comprises a gold layer on the gate region of the HEMT; and a binding group layer coupling the KIM-1 antibody to the gold layer.
8. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 7 , wherein the binding group layer comprises thioglycolic acid.
9. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one target receptor comprises a gate dielectric capable of sensitivity to hydronium ions, the gate dielectric formed on the gate region of the HEMT.
10. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 9 , wherein the gate dielectric comprises Sc2O3, Al2O3, TiO2, MgO, In2O3, SnO2, ZnO, or ZnMgO.
11. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one target receptor comprises metal chloride.
12. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 11 , wherein the metal chloride comprises silver-chloride.
13. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 12 , wherein the functionalization further comprises a titanium thin film electrode on the gate region of the HEMT and a silver thin film on the titanium thin film, wherein the silver-chloride is provided on the silver thin film through potentiostatic anodization.
14. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one target receptor comprises indium nitride.
15. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one target receptor comprises at least one chelating agent for a heavy metal.
16. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 15 , wherein the chelating agent comprises thioglycolic acid (HSCH2COOH), cysteamine (NH2CH2CH2SH), 1,2-ethanedithiol (HSCH2CH2SH), dimercaprol (BAL), diaminoethanetetraacetic acid (EDTA), 2,3-bis-sulfanylbutanedioic acid (DMSA), 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS), or any combination thereof.
17. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the functionalization further comprises a gate dielectric layer comprising nanorods and the at least one target receptor comprises glucose oxidase immobilized on the nanorods.
18. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the nanorods comprise a metal oxide.
19. The HEMT based sensor according to claim 18 , wherein the metal oxide comprises Sc2O3, Al2O3, TiO2, MgO, In2O3, SnO2, ZnO, or ZnMgO.