title: Addressing the use of PDIF-CN2 molecules in the development of n-type organic field-effect transistors for biosensing applications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no doubt that future discoveries in the field of biochemistry will depend on the implementation of novel biosensing techniques, able to record biophysiological events with minimal biological interference. In this respect, organic electronics may represent an important new tool for the analysis of structures ranging from single molecules up to cellular events. Specifically, organic field-effect transistors (OFET) are potentially powerful devices for the real-time detection/transduction of bio-signals. Despite this interest, up to date, the experimental data useful to support the development of OFET-based biosensors are still few and, in particular, n-type (electron-transporting) devices, being fundamental to develop highly-performing circuits, have been scarcely investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, films of N,N'-1H,1H-perfluorobutyldicyanoperylene-carboxydi-imide (PDIF-CN2) molecules, a recently-introduced and very promising n-type semiconductor, have been evaporated on glass and silicon dioxide substrates to test the biocompatibility of this compound and its capability to stay electrically-active even in liquid environments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that PDIF-CN2 transistors can work steadily in water for several hours. Biocompatibility tests, based on in-vitro cell cultivation, remark the need to functionalize the PDIF-CN2 hydrophobic surface by extra-coating layers (i.e. poly-l-lysine) to favor the growth of confluent cellular populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experimental data demonstrate that PDIF-CN2 compound is an interesting organic semiconductor to develop electronic devices to be used in the biological field.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work contributes to define a possible strategy for the fabrication of low-cost and flexible biosensors, based on complex organic complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry including both p- (hole-transporting) and n-type transistors. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Organic Bioelectronics-Novel Applications in Biomedicine.
authors.affiliation: CNR-SPIN and Department of Physics Science, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy. mario.barra@spin.cnr.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barra
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Viggiano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ambrosino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bloisi
authors.forename: F V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Di Girolamo
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Soldovieri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taglialatela
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cassinese
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016466:CHO Cells; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D004582:Electronics, Medical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D007094:Imides / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D009570:Nitriles / Q000737:chemistry; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D012666:Semiconductors; D014173:Transistors, Electronic; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007094:Imides; D008670:Metals; D009570:Nitriles; D010087:Oxides; D014867:Water; D010569:Perylene