Abstract: A semiconductor sensor includes a source element; a drain element; and a semiconductor channel element between the source element and the drain element, forming an electrically conductive channel. An insulator is positioned between the semiconductor channel element and a solution to be sensed. A reference contacts the solution and sets an electric potential of the solution. A bias voltage source generates an external sensor bias voltage for electrically biasing the reference electrode. A sensing surface interacts with the solution comprising analytes for generating a surface potential change at the sensing surface dependent on the concentration of analytes. The sensor further includes a ferroelectric capacitance element between the insulator and the bias voltage source for generating a negative capacitance for a differential gain between the external sensor bias voltage and an internal sensor bias voltage sensed at a surface of the channel element facing the insulator or ferroelectric capacitance element.

Abstract: An electromechanical system for detecting cancerous state of a single cell. The electromechanical system includes an aspirating mechanism, an electrical measurement mechanism, and a processing mechanism. The aspirating mechanism is configured to extract a single cell from a suspension of a plurality of suspended biological cells, hold the extracted single cell, and apply a mechanical aspiration to the held single cell by applying a suction force to the held single cell. The electrical measurement mechanism is configured to apply a set of electrical signals to the single cell before and after applying the mechanical aspiration, measure a first set of electrical responses from the held single cell corresponding to the applied set of electrical signals before the mechanical aspiration, and measure a second set of electrical responses from the mechanically aspirated single cell corresponding to the applied set of electrical signals before the mechanical aspiration.

Abstract: An electrical probe is disclosed for measuring an electrical response from a biological cell. The electrical probe includes a tungsten microwire having a sharpened tip section, a catalyst layer formed on the sharpened tip section of the tungsten microwire, and an array of nanotube electrodes vertically aligned on the catalyst layer. The catalyst layer includes a catalyst bilayer including a nickel layer over a gold layer, and the nanotube electrodes include a plurality of silicon nanotubes (SiNTs).

Abstract: A semiconductor sensor includes a source element; a drain element; and a semiconductor channel element between the source element and the drain element, forming an electrically conductive channel. An insulator is positioned between the semiconductor channel element and a solution to be sensed. A reference contacts the solution and sets an electric potential of the solution. A bias voltage source generates an external sensor bias voltage for electrically biasing the reference electrode. A sensing surface interacts with the solution comprising analytes for generating a surface potential change at the sensing surface dependent on the concentration of analytes. The sensor further includes a ferroelectric capacitance element between the insulator and the bias voltage source for generating a negative capacitance for a differential gain between the external sensor bias voltage and an internal sensor bias voltage sensed at a surface of the channel element facing the insulator or ferroelectric capacitance element.

Abstract: A single-cell-based electromechanical method for cancerous state detection including the steps of preparing a suspension of individually suspended biological cells, extracting a single cell from the suspension, holding the extracted single cell from the suspension, measuring a first electrical response of the held single cell, step-wised mechanical aspirating the held single cell to form a mechanically deformed cell, and measuring an electrical response of the held single cell after each step of mechanical aspirating. The cancerous state of the single cell is determined based on the changes in the measured electrical responses.

Abstract: An electrical probe configured to measure an electrical response from a biological cell includes a microwire having a sharpened tip, a catalyst layer formed on the sharpened tip of the microwire, and an array of nanotube electrodes vertically aligned on the catalyst layer.

Abstract: A single-cell-based electromechanical method for cancerous state detection including the steps of preparing a suspension of individually suspended biological cells, extracting a single cell from the suspension, holding the extracted single cell from the suspension, measuring a first electrical response of the held single cell, step-wised mechanical aspirating the held single cell to form a mechanically deformed cell, and measuring an electrical response of the held single cell after each step of mechanical aspirating. The cancerous state of the single cell is determined based on the changes in the measured electrical responses.