Design and Evaluation of a Double-Gate Tunnel Field Effect Transistor for the Detection of Breast Cancer Cells

This research paper investigates the application of a Double Gate (DG) Tunnel Field-Effect Transistor (DG-TFET) for the detection of cell lines derived from breast cancer tissue, namely Hs578T, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T47D. The device incorporates two nanocavities positioned beneath the two gate electrodes, significantly enhancing detection capabilities. The study emphasizes the differentiation between healthy non-tumorigenic cells (MCF-10A) and breast cancer-derived cell lines by incorporating gate engineering into the TFET. Furthermore, the research explores the impact of changes in dielectric values specific to different breast malignant cell types on the biosensor's detection capabilities. Additionally, the investigation delves into the influence of variations in device geometry, including cavity dimensions and dielectric layer thickness, on critical parameters such as drain current sensitivity, transconductance sensitivity, and ION/IOFF sensitivity. Sensitivity analysis concerns drive current, ION/IOFF ratio, threshold voltage (Vth), and transconductance. The structural design of the device is tailored to facilitate array-based diagnosis and screening of cell lines derived from breast cancer tissue. This design offers several advantages, including a simplified transduction process, compatibility with CMOS processes, cost-effectiveness, reproducibility, and adjustable electrical responses. The researchers employed ATLAS, a two-dimensional (2D) device simulator from Silvaco, to model and define the device structure. The numerical simulations validate the device's performance, demonstrating favorable ON-OFF transition profiles.