Enhanced performance from a hybrid quenchometric deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) silica xerogel gaseous oxygen sensing platform.

A complex of salmon milt deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium (CTMA) forms an organic-soluble biomaterial that can be readily incorporated within an organically modified silane-based xerogel. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity and excited-state luminescence lifetime of tris(4,7'-diphenyl-1,10'-phenanathroline) ruthenium(II) [(Ru(dpp)3](2+), a common O2 responsive luminophore, increases in the presence of DNA-CTMA within the xerogel. The increase in the [Ru(dpp)3](2+)excited-state lifetime in the presence of DNA-CTMA arises from DNA intercalation that attenuates one or more non-radiative processes, leading to an increase in the [Ru(dpp)3](2+) excited-state lifetime. Prospects for the use of these materials in an oxygen sensor are demonstrated.

Nanocomposite approaches for enhancing the DC and photoconductivity of DNA films.

Enhanced DC conductivity and photoconductivity of cationic carbazole tethered deoxyribonucleic acid (Cz-DNA) in film devices is achieved by incorporating mobility enhancers. An anthracene-based organic semiconductor (namely 4HPA-Ant) and the inorganic semiconductor cadmium sulfide (CdS) multipod nanocrystal (NC) were used as the mobility enhancers. Space charge limited current (SCLC) experiments show that hole mobility in CdS:Cz-DNA composite film is improved significantly, by about an order of magnitude, compared to the Cz-DNA film. Similarly, the DC conductivity of the composite film is slightly enhanced by 4HPA-Ant. The photoconductivity is also improved in the Cz-DNA composite, with both 4HPA-Ant and CdS multipod NCs. The enhancement in photocurrent is by more than an order of magnitude, as demonstrated by current-voltage (I-V) characterization using DNA composite photodetectors.

Filterless optical oxygen sensor based on a CMOS buried double junction photodiode.

We present a custom CMOS IC with a buried double junction (BDJ) photodiode to detect and process the optical signal, eliminating the need for any off-chip optical filters. The on-chip signal processing circuitry improves the desired signal extraction from the optical background noise. Since the IC is manufactured using standard commercial fabrication processes with no post-processing necessary, the system can ultimately be low cost to fabricate. Additionally, because of the CMOS integration, it will consume little power when operating, and even less during stand-by.