Handheld measurement device for field-effect sensor structures: Practical evaluation and limitations

A user-friendly handheld measurement device in combination with a field-effect-based capacitive electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensor has been developed. The measurement device allows the characterisation of various chemical sensors and biosensors in both the capacitance-voltage (C/V) and the constant-capacitance (ConCap) mode. The developed device has been systematically tested with pH-sensitive EIS sensors in terms of accuracy, reliability and noise behaviour. Many possible applications for this type of semiconductor-based sensor with the associated convenient handheld measurement device can be found in the biotechnology environment. First practical aspects and considerations to apply EIS-based sensors together with the new handheld measurement device for pH measurements in a cell-culture medium will be reported.