A review of microelectronic AlGaN/GaN HEMT biosensors for the detection of various cancer diseases and bacterial/viral pathogens

Detection of cancer cells and pathogens at an early stage is crucial for improving survival rates, driving extensive research into GaN-HEMT-based biosensors. AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (AG-HEMTs) offer exceptional properties for biosensing, such as high chemical stability, non-toxicity, sensitivity to surface charge variations, and robust performance at elevated temperatures. These features, coupled with a surface highly responsive to functionalization, enable precise detection through selective binding to the gate region, facilitating interactions with target analytes. Such advancements address the limitations of traditional methods like nucleic acid amplification, which are complex and unsuitable for on-site screening, while significantly enhancing early detection capabilities. These qualities position AG-HEMTs as promising candidates for various sensing regimes. This work presents a comprehensive review of AG-HEMT biosensors, highlighting their cutting-edge applications in early cancer detection and the identification of various pathogens. These sensors are employed for detecting various cancer cells by studying the changes in device parameters such as sensing current (ΔI_D), threshold voltage (V_TH) and the channel conductance (g_d), etc. The article delves into the sensing mechanisms employed in a range of biosensing applications, exploring developments in device design over the past few decades from both modeling and simulation perspectives. This paper highlights the potential of AG-HEMT biosensors for cancer detection & viruses detection and addresses a significant gap by providing a holistic review of AG-HEMT applications, integrating insights from diverse studies into a comprehensive overview.