Key parameters for reliable biosensing using organic photoelectrochemical transistors: a case study on bilirubin detection
Abstract
Organic photoelectrochemical transistors (OPECTs) combine the biocompatibility of organic electrochemical transistors with light-driven operation, offering a promising platform for biosensing. Yet, their full potential remains untapped due to overlooked operating parameters. In this work, we investigate the influence of four key factors-source-drain voltage, light power density, co-solvent electrochemical response, and analyte color-on the response of OPECTs. We show that operating at negative source-drain voltages (e.g., -0.5 V) enhances signal amplification, while low light power density (e.g., <5 mW cm-2 ) is enough to saturate the OPECT response. Using unconjugated bilirubin detection as a case study, we also reveal how co-solvents like DMSO and colored analytes (e.g., conjugated bilirubin and biliverdin) can interfere with the sensor response, leading to misleading results. By addressing these often-overlooked parameters, we provide practical guidelines to improve the accuracy, reproducibility, and detection limits of OPECT-based biosensors, paving the way for more reliable and portable diagnostic tools.
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BibTeX
@article{errafi2026parameters,
title = {{Key parameters for reliable biosensing using organic photoelectrochemical transistors: a case study on bilirubin detection}},
author = {Wissal Errafi and Stella Schuster and Maryem Rahmani and Alessandra Pistillo and Paloma Carrascal Marquez and Nicolas Zimmermann and Nicolas Leclerc and Thomas Cottineau and Olivier Bardagot},
journal = {Journal of Materials Chemistry C},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1039/d6tc01397j},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05794712v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Key parameters for reliable biosensing using organic photoelectrochemical transistors: a case study on bilirubin detection
AU - Wissal Errafi
AU - Stella Schuster
AU - Maryem Rahmani
AU - Alessandra Pistillo
AU - Paloma Carrascal Marquez
AU - Nicolas Zimmermann
AU - Nicolas Leclerc
AU - Thomas Cottineau
AU - Olivier Bardagot
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/25
JO - Journal of Materials Chemistry C
DO - 10.1039/d6tc01397j
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05794712v1
AB - Organic photoelectrochemical transistors (OPECTs) combine the biocompatibility of organic electrochemical transistors with light-driven operation, offering a promising platform for biosensing. Yet, their full potential remains untapped due to overlooked operating parameters. In this work, we investigate the influence of four key factors-source-drain voltage, light power density, co-solvent electrochemical response, and analyte color-on the response of OPECTs. We show that operating at negative source-drain voltages (e.g., -0.5 V) enhances signal amplification, while low light power density (e.g., <5 mW cm-2 ) is enough to saturate the OPECT response. Using unconjugated bilirubin detection as a case study, we also reveal how co-solvents like DMSO and colored analytes (e.g., conjugated bilirubin and biliverdin) can interfere with the sensor response, leading to misleading results. By addressing these often-overlooked parameters, we provide practical guidelines to improve the accuracy, reproducibility, and detection limits of OPECT-based biosensors, paving the way for more reliable and portable diagnostic tools.
SN - 2050-7526
SN - 2050-7534
ER -