Finite element modelling of bandgap engineered graphene FET with the application in sensing methanethiol biomarker

Abstract

In this work, we have designed and simulated a graphene field effect transistor (GFET) with the purpose of developing a sensitive biosensor for methanethiol, a biomarker for bacterial infections. The surface of a graphene layer is functionalized by manipulation of its surface structure and is used as the channel of the GFET. Two methods, doping the crystal structure of graphene and decorating the surface by transition metals (TMs), are utilized to change the electrical properties of the graphene layers to make them suitable as a channel of the GFET. The techniques also change the surface chemistry of the graphene, enhancing its adsorption characteristics and making binding between graphene and biomarker possible. All the physical parameters are calculated for various variants of graphene in the absence and presence of the biomarker using counterpoise energy-corrected density functional theory (DFT). The device was modelled using COMSOL Multiphysics. Our studies show that the sensitivity of the device is affected by structural parameters of the device, the electrical properties of the graphene, and with adsorption of the biomarker. It was found that the devices made of graphene layers decorated with TM show higher sensitivities toward detecting the biomarker compared with those made by doped graphene layers.