Biosensor sensitivity and steric hindrance: A comparison of InGaAs pocket and conventional TFET designs

This research article unveils a novel approach to boost the sensing ability of a biosensor by incorporating a pocket of indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) at the source-channel junction of a tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET). The InGaAs pocket acts as a source of electrons, improving the sensitivity of the biosensor. In addition to the above, this research article also presents a comparative assessment of the proposed charge plasma-based doping less heterostructure (InGaAs pocket) TFET-based biosensor (CPDLHTFET) with a proposed (CPDLTFET) through simulations. The comparison is made based on their respective sensitivity and steric hindrance performances. Additionally, the effects of varying the pocket length and cavity length on the performance of both devices are studied and compared. The outcomes demonstrate that opti-mizing the InGaAs pocket and cavity length can improve sensitivity. The study also addresses the steric hindrance issue (restriction caused by the already hybridized biomolecules) and the impact on sensitivity due to probe position. The study highlights the potential of TFET-based biosensors for various biotechnology and medical diagnosis applications. Overall, this research presents a promising InGaAs pocket TFET-based design for improved performance.