Electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors (EGOFETs) as complementary tools to electrochemistry for the study of surface processes

We demonstrate that electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors (EGOFETs) can detect extremely minute modifications in the composition of the electrochemical double layers forming at the channel/electrolyte and gate/electrolyte interfaces, thus permitting real-time monitoring of alkylthiols self-assembling on a gold surface. We used this property to assay the enzymatic activity of acetylcholinesterase which, in the presence of its substrate (acetylthiocholine), produces thiocholine. [Display omitted] •Electrolyte-gated transistor output current change can be used to monitor surface processes occurring on electrodes.•The kinetics of self-assembled monolayer formation are characterized using the change in transistor output current.•An innovative electroanalytical assay of acetylcholinesterase is described.