Bio-nanoelectronics engineering

Bio-nanoelectronics is an interdisciplinary field concerned with systems that interface biological matter with synthetic biocompatible nanomaterials for use in electronic components. Examples of bio-nanoelectronic systems are biosensors, drug-delivery devices and neural circuits.

In particular, shrinking electronic transducer dimensions to the nanoscale and making their properties appear more biological can yield significant improvements in the sensitivity and biocompatibility, and thereby open up opportunities in fundamental biology and healthcare. This review emphasizes recent advances in nano-bioelectronics enabled with semiconductor nanostructures, including silicon nanowires (SiNWs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and graphene. First, the synthesis and electrical properties of these nanomaterials are discussed in the context of bioelectronics. Second, affinity-based nano-bioelectronic sensors for highly sensitive analysis of biomolecules are reviewed. In these studies, semiconductor nanostructures as transistor-based biosensors are discussed from fundamental device behavior through sensing applications and future challenges. Third, the complex interface between nanoelectronics and living biological systems, from single cells to live animals are reviewed. Read more