Specifications of the Biosensor Arrays

Although the ultimate performance of any integrated biosensor is limited by the properties of the affinity-based biomolecular interaction, the method of detection and fabrication impose certain 

The first consideration for a miniaturized biosensor array is the size and surface topology of the sensor element. The preparation of biomolecular probes on the surface of each individual sensor element involves manipulating very small volumes of sample, which is normally achieved by the use of microspotters. Most advanced robotic-based liquid dispensing spotters nowadays have resolutions 

Another important consideration is the working frequency. To characterize the sheer number of sensors in the same array in real time, both the switching circuit and measurement units need to work at high enough frequency. The speed needed eventually depends on the nature and kinetics of the biomolecular interaction to be measured. For example, considering a typical array with 1,000 elements to be measured in 1 second, the logic circuit to address the 

Other factors that need to be taken into consideration include temperature variations induced by the power consumption of the circuit, lifetime in solution which is determined by the passivation material, and overall chip size and packaging for practical handling. Those factors are less important in terms of the use of FET and need to be reviewed for each application. 

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