Sensors 2016, 16(6), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/s16060839
High Sensitivity pH Sensor Based on Porous Silicon (PSi) Extended Gate Field-Effect Transistor
Naif H. Al-Hardan 1,*
, Muhammad Azmi Abdul Hamid 1,*
, Naser M. Ahmed 2, Azman Jalar 3, Roslinda Shamsudin 1, Norinsan Kamil Othman 1, Lim Kar Keng 1, Weesiong Chiu 4 and Hamzah N. Al-Rawi 5
, Muhammad Azmi Abdul Hamid 1,*
, Naser M. Ahmed 2, Azman Jalar 3, Roslinda Shamsudin 1, Norinsan Kamil Othman 1, Lim Kar Keng 1, Weesiong Chiu 4 and Hamzah N. Al-Rawi 51
School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
2
School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), 11800 Penang, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
3
Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
4
Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
5
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering—Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Ki-Hyun Kim
Received: 9 March 2016 / Revised: 4 May 2016 / Accepted: 25 May 2016 / Published: 7 June 2016
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of New and/or Improved Materials for Sensing Applications)
Abstract
In this study, porous silicon (PSi) was prepared and tested as an extended gate field-effect transistor (EGFET) for pH sensing. The prepared PSi has pore sizes in the range of 500 to 750 nm with a depth of approximately 42 µm. The results of testing PSi for hydrogen ion sensing in different pH buffer solutions reveal that the PSi has a sensitivity value of 66 mV/pH that is considered a super Nernstian value. The sensor considers stability to be in the pH range of 2 to 12. The hysteresis values of the prepared PSi sensor were approximately 8.2 and 10.5 mV in the low and high pH loop, respectively. The result of this study reveals a promising application of PSi in the field for detecting hydrogen ions in different solutions. View Full-TextKeywords:
macroporous materials; ionic conductivity; pH sensitivity
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Al-Hardan, N.H.; Abdul Hamid, M.A.; Ahmed, N.M.; Jalar, A.; Shamsudin, R.; Othman, N.K.; Kar Keng, L.; Chiu, W.; Al-Rawi, H.N. High Sensitivity pH Sensor Based on Porous Silicon (PSi) Extended Gate Field-Effect Transistor. Sensors 2016, 16, 839.
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