Ultra-sensitive dengue NS1 protein detection via asymmetric source-drain, heterojunction and dual-dielectric cavities in a uniform tunnel FET biosensor

• A-SD-HJ-DD-UTFET, a TFET-based biosensor, is proposed for the first time for the early detection of the NS1 protein, a crucial biomarker of the fatal dengue virus which is secreted within hours of viral infection during the acute phase, allowing for timely diagnosis. • The proposed biosensor offers a heightened sensitivity of 2.25 × 10 11 for detecting the NS1 protein of dengue with an enhanced switching ratio of 1.8 × 10 12 . • The superior electrical characteristics of the proposed biosensor are indicated by a higher ON state and lower OFF state current of 2.28 × 10 -4 A/μm and 1.28 × 10 -16 A/μm respectively along with a reduced a Subthreshold Swing of 15.4 mV/dec and a device DIBL of 3.97 mV/V. • The proposed biosensor excels with a simpler fabrication flow and a unique asymmetric configuration, featuring a wider source, a narrower drain, different gate lengths with different work functions, and a heterojunction design to enhance the device's sensitivity and performance. In this paper, we present a unique Asymmetric Source-Drain Heterojunction Dual-Dielectric Uniform Tunnel Field Effect Transistor (A-SD-HJ-DD-UTFET) based biosensor tailored for the early detection of dengue NS1 protein during the acute phase of infection offering early diagnosis and potentially life-saving intervention. The proposed biosensor design features simplified fabrication, a narrow drain region, and a dual material control gate, enhancing specificity and sensitivity for dengue virus detection. Using a heterojunction configuration, this device optimizes electron flow for improved detection accuracy. The roles of Tunnel Gate (TG) and Auxiliary Gate (AG) are studied in terms of band energy, electric field, electrostatic potential, and other sensitivity parameters. Sentaurus TCAD tool is utilized for analysing the characteristics of the proposed A-SD-HJ-DD-UTFET biosensor. Simulation results indicate that the designed A-SD-HJ-DD-UTFET biosensor achieves a superior Subthreshold Swing (SS) of 15.4 mV/dec and an enhanced I ON /I OFF sensitivity of about 2.25 × 10¹¹ with a maximum ON and minimum OFF state currents of 2.28 × 10 -4 A/μm and 1.28 × 10 -16 A/μm respectively for detecting NS1 protein of dengue. Additionally, it boasts a high switch ratio in the order of 10 12 . The proposed biosensor outperforms conventional devices, including the state-of-the-art Junctionless (JL)-TFET biosensors. The superior electrical characteristics of the proposed A-SD-HJ-DD-UTFET biosensor make it a promising device for early detection of the dengue NS1 protein, providing a potent solution for mitigating the spread of dengue infections.