title: Methods for rapid frequency-domain characterization of leakage currents in silicon nanowire-based field-effect transistors.
abstract: Silicon nanowire-based field-effect transistors (SiNW FETs) have demonstrated the ability of ultrasensitive detection of a wide range of biological and chemical targets. The detection is based on the variation of the conductance of a nanowire channel, which is caused by the target substance. This is seen in the voltage-current behavior between the drain and source. Some current, known as leakage current, flows between the gate and drain, and affects the current between the drain and source. Studies have shown that leakage current is frequency dependent. Measurements of such frequency characteristics can provide valuable tools in validating the functionality of the used transistor. The measurements can also be an advantage in developing new detection technologies utilizing SiNW FETs. The frequency-domain responses can be measured by using a commercial sine-sweep-based network analyzer. However, because the analyzer takes a long time, it effectively prevents the development of most practical applications. Another problem with the method is that in order to produce sinusoids the signal generator has to cope with a large number of signal levels. This may become challenging in developing low-cost applications. This paper presents fast, cost-effective frequency-domain methods with which to obtain the responses within seconds. The inverse-repeat binary sequence (IRS) is applied and the admittance spectroscopy between the drain and source is computed through Fourier methods. The methods is verified by experimental measurements from an n-type SiNW FET.
authors.affiliation: Department of Automation Science and Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Tomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roinila
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Automation Science and Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Jarmo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verho
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Tie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Automation Science and Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Pasi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kallio
authors.affiliation: Department of Automation Science and Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vilkko
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Anran
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuelin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: admittance spectroscopy; excitation design; frequency characterization; frequency response; silicon nanowire