Membrane-Transistor Cable

Abstract

An ionic−electronic system was assembled by coating a linear array of 48 field-effect transistors in silicon with a bimolecular layer of lipid and gramicidin. A thin film of electrolyte (depth ∼80 μm) was used as a spacer. A dc voltage was applied to one end of the core−coat conductor formed by membrane and electrolyte. The transistors recorded the transmission along the cable. A change of the density of open channels was determined from the change of the voltage profile on the basis of Kelvin's cable equation. The system is the basis for a development of bioelectronic transducers and for the study of nonlinear phenomena in membrane cables.