G01N27/4148

CHEMICALLY DIFFERENTIATED SENSOR ARRAY
20170307562 · 2017-10-26 · ·

A chemically differentiated sensor array system includes a plurality of environmentally-gated transistors and an environmental gate, wherein the environmental gate includes a liquid solution and each environmentally-gated transistor includes a drain, a source, and a Carbon-based substrate channel, the drain electrically couples to a first location on the substrate channel, the source electrically couples to a second location on the substrate channel separated by a gap from the first location on the substrate channel, the environmental gate covers and contacts the substrate channel, a first insulating layer covers and separates the drain from the environmental gate, and a second insulating layer covers and separates the source from the environmental gate.

Magnetic stimulus of ISFET-based sensor to enable trimming and self-compensation of sensor measurement errors
09797861 · 2017-10-24 · ·

An ion sensor apparatus comprises at least one ion sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) device configured to be exposed to a liquid, a reference electrode configured to contact the liquid to which the ISFET device is exposed, and at least one magnet configured to intermittently expose the ISFET device to a magnetic field. A processor is operatively connected to the ISFET device and the reference electrode. The processor modulates the magnetic field to produce a corresponding modulated output in resistance of the ISFET device, and modulation of a reported output value of the ion sensor apparatus.

SiNW PIXELS BASED INVERTING AMPLIFIER
20170336347 · 2017-11-23 ·

In some embodiments, an inverting amplifier includes four electrical circuit elements (or “pixels”), with two pixels used as sensing elements and two pixels used as adjustable resistors for adjusting amplification factor to operate all pixels at the same amplification factor and cancelling out variations from processing. The sensing pixels include a silicon nanowire exposed to liquid or gas medium for sensing, a metal electrode partially open for contact with the medium and used for feeding a high-frequency sinusoidal stimulation in impedance measurements and for sensing properties of the medium, implanted source and drain electrodes connected to the nanowire, and electrical metal contacts attached to the electrodes and connecting the pixel to an electrical circuit. The two compensation pixels include an n-type or p-type silicon nanowire, implanted source and drain electrodes connected to the nanowire, and electrical metal contacts attached to the electrodes and connecting the pixel to an electrical circuit.

Integrated circuit with nanowire ChemFET-sensors, sensing apparatus, measuring method and manufacturing method

Integrated circuit (100) comprising a semiconductor substrate (110); an insulating layer (120) over said substrate; an first transistor (140) on said insulating layer, said first transistor comprising an exposed channel region (146) in between a source region (142a, 142b) and a drain region (144); and a voltage waveform generator (150) conductively coupled to the semiconductor substrate for providing the first transistor with a bias voltage during a signal acquisition period, wherein the voltage waveform generator is arranged to generate an alternating bias voltage waveform (300) comprising a periodically increasing amplitude. A sensing apparatus including such an integrated circuit and a sensing method using such an integrated circuit are also disclosed.

MEASURING DEVICE

A measuring device 1 according to the present disclosure measures a state of a solution L. The measuring device 1 includes a measuring unit 10 that outputs a measurement signal associated with the state of the solution L, a protection unit 20 attached to the measuring unit 10, and a controller 40 that obtains the information on the state of the solution L on the basis of a measurement signal output from the measuring unit 10. The measuring unit 10 has a first part P1 in a usable state that contributes to output of the measurement signal by coming into contact with the solution L, and a second part that is isolated from the solution L by the protection unit 20 and is in a standby state for measurement.

Chemically sensitive field effect transistors and uses thereof in electronic nose devices

A system having an electronic device. The electronic device has an array of chemically sensitive sensors. The sensors detect volatile organic compounds and have field effect transistors. The transistors have non-oxidized, functionalized silicon nanowires. The nanowires have surface Si atoms. The device has a plurality of functional groups that form a direct Si—C bond with the silicon nanowires, wherein Si is a surface Si atom and C is a carbon atom of the functional group. The functional groups are selected from the group consisting of: alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, alkylaryl, alkylalkenyl, alkylalkynyl, alkylcycloalkyl, alkylheterocyclyl and alkylheteroaryl groups, and derivatives thereof, wherein said functional groups are other than methyl and 1-butyl. The plurality of functional groups are attached to 50-100% of the surface Si atoms.

Digital time-domain readout circuit method for BioFET sensor cascades

Various bioFET sensor readout circuits and their methods of operation are described. A readout circuit includes a plurality of logic gates coupled in cascade, a delay extractor, and a counting module. Each logic gate of the plurality of logic gates includes at least one bioFET sensor. The delay extractor is designed to generate a pulse-width signal based on a time difference between an output signal from the plurality of logic gates and a reference signal. The counting module is designed to receive the pulse-width signal and output a digital count corresponding to a width of the pulse-width signal.

METHODS FOR CALIBRATING AN ARRAY OF CHEMICALLY-SENSITIVE SENSORS
20170241943 · 2017-08-24 ·

Methods and apparatus relating to very large scale FET arrays for analyte measurements. ChemFET (e.g., ISFET) arrays may be fabricated using conventional CMOS processing techniques based on improved FET pixel and array designs that increase measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and at the same time facilitate significantly small pixel sizes and dense arrays. Improved array control techniques provide for rapid data acquisition from large and dense arrays. Such arrays may be employed to detect a presence and/or concentration changes of various analyte types in a wide variety of chemical and/or biological processes. In one example, chemFET arrays facilitate DNA sequencing techniques based on monitoring changes in hydrogen ion concentration (pH), changes in other analyte concentration, and/or binding events associated with chemical processes relating to DNA synthesis.

ISFET MEASURING PROBE, MEASUREMENT CIRCUIT FOR THE ISFET MEASURING PROBE, AND METHOD
20170241944 · 2017-08-24 ·

ISFET measuring probe with a housing in which an ISFET and a reference electrode are arranged in such a way that the gate electrode of the ISFET, which is coated with an ion-sensitive layer, and the reference electrode reach into a measurement space into which a measurement medium can be introduced, with the distinguishing feature that an auxiliary electrode is arranged additionally inside the housing and is held inside the measurement space.

Nanofluid sensor with real-time spatial sensing

A semiconductor structure capable of real-time spatial sensing of nanoparticles within a nanofluid is provided. The structure includes an array of gate structures. An interlevel dielectric material surrounds the array of gate structures. A vertical inlet channel is located within a portion of the interlevel dielectric material and on one side of the array of gate structures. A vertical outlet channel is located within another portion of the interlevel dielectric material and on another side of the array of gate structures. A horizontal channel that functions as a back gate is in fluid communication with the vertical inlet and outlet channels, and is located beneath the array of gate structures. A back gate dielectric material portion lines exposed surfaces within the vertical inlet channel, the vertical outlet channel and the horizontal channel.