Bioelectronics

Numerous and highly complex functionalities may be integrated into very small volume devices by virtue of semiconductor technology. Its increasing use in biosensors thus complies with recent requirements in medicine and biotechnology to autonomous systems and intelligent implants with integrated control, analysis and wireless data transmission including applications in point-of-care diagnostics and telemedicine.

The technical basis for the continuous performance increase within the last four decades was due to the continuous scaling, i.e. the ceaseless shrinking of minimum feature dimensions in microelectronic devices. This development, which was first recognized by Gordon Moore in an attempt to describe microelectronic integration, and has led the dominant CMOS technology to nanometer-sized objects, the extension of which compare to large biological molecules. The foreseeable integration of biomaterials will result in new biosensors. In particular, the possible miniaturization will allow to construct smart sensor systems for the monitoring of health parameters in our bodies as well as in technical systems [lifis online].

[Diploma thesis in that field of research]