DNA adsorption measured with ultra-thin film organic field effect transistors

Organic ultra-thin film field effect transistors (FET) are operated as label-free sensors of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) adsorption. Linearized plasmid DNA molecules (4361 base pairs) are deposited from a solution on two monolayers thick pentacene FET. The amount of adsorbed DNA is measured by AFM and correlated to the concentration of the solution. Electrical characteristics on the dried DNA/pentacene FETs were studied as a function of DNA concentration in the solution. Shift of the pinch-off voltage across a wide range of DNA concentration, from very diluted to highly concentrated, is observed. It can be ascribed to additional positive charges in the semiconductor induced by DNA at a rate of one charge for every 200 base pairs. The sensitivity 74 ng/cm2, corresponding to 650 ng/ml, is limited by the distribution of FET parameters upon repeated cycles, and is subjected to substantial improvement upon standardization. Our work demonstrates the possibility to develop label-free transducers suitable to operate in regimes of high molecular entanglement.