ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an active complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) biochip for electrochemical DNA sensing to support genomic assays. It provides background information on platforms for analyzing DNA and electrochemical-based DNA detection techniques in particular, as well as electrochemistry principles. The chapter discusses the design and implementation of an active CMOS biochip for label-based, electrochemical DNA assays. The active CMOS biochip applies cyclic voltammetry (CV), a large-signal electrochemical measurement technique. CV is one of the most popular techniques for studying the behavior of electrochemical systems because it can rapidly provide considerable information on the thermodynamics of redox processes, the kinetics of multistep electron transfer reactions, and surface-based chemical processes. Electrical characterization of the active CMOS biochip is carried out prior to performing integrated electrochemical measurements. Active CMOS-integrated electrochemical biochips are an enabling technology in the development of genetic diagnostic platforms for clinical and point-of-care (POC) medical applications.
