Computational aspects of the three-dimensional feature-scale simulation of silicon-nanowire field-effect sensors for DNA detection

In recent years DNA-sensors, and generally biosensors, with semiconducting transducers were fabricated and characterized. Although the concept of so-called BioFETs was proposed already two decades ago, its realization has become feasible only recently due to advances in process technology. In this paper a comprehensive and rigorous approach to the simulation of silicon-nanowire DNAFETs at the feature-scale is presented. It allows to investigate the feasibility of single-molecule detectors and is used to elucidate the performance that can be expected from sensors with nanowire diameters in the deca-nanometer range. Finally the computational challenges for the simulation of silicon-nanowire DNA-sensors are discussed.