An analyte detector for detecting at least one analyte in at least one fluid sample is proposed. The analyte detector comprises at least one multipurpose electrode exposable to the fluid sample. The analyte detector further comprises at least one field-effect transistor in electrical contact with the at least one multipurpose electrode. The analyte detector further comprises at least one electrochemical measurement device configured for performing at least one electrochemical measurement using the multipurpose electrode.

A device for performing electrolysis of water is disclosed. The device comprising: a semiconductor structure comprising a surface and an electron guiding layer below said surface, the electron guiding layer of the semiconductor structure being configured to guide electron movement in a plane parallel to the surface, the electron guiding layer of the semiconductor structure comprising an InGaN quantum well or a heterojunction, the heterojunction being a junction between AlN material and GaN material or between AlGaN material and GaN material; at least one metal cathode arranged on the surface of the semiconductor structure; and at least one photoanode arranged on the surface of the semiconductor structure, wherein the at least one photoanode comprises a plurality of quantum dots of In.sub.xGa.sub.(1−x)N material, wherein 0.4≤x≤1. A system comprising such device is also disclosed.

An electrostatically controlled sensor includes a GaN/AlGaN heterostructure having a 2DEG channel in the GaN layer. Source and drain contacts are electrically coupled to the 2DEG channel through the AlGaN layer. A gate dielectric is formed over the AlGaN layer, and gate electrodes are formed over the gate dielectric, wherein each gate electrode extends substantially entirely between the source and drain contacts, wherein the gate electrodes are separated by one or more gaps (which also extend substantially entirely between the source and drain contacts). Each of the one or more gaps defines a corresponding sensing area between the gate electrodes for receiving an external influence. A bias voltage is applied to the gate electrodes, such that regions of the 2DEG channel below the gate electrodes are completely depleted, and regions of the 2DEG channel below the one or more gaps in the direction from source to drain are partially depleted.

Provided is a sensing method of a FET-type sensor using electric charge storage engineering. The sensing method comprises the following steps to improve reactivity and selectivity to a gas to be sensed: (a) applying a preset erase voltage (Erase bias) or program voltage (Program bias) to the control gate according to the type of gas to be sensed to change a threshold voltage of the FET transducer and control the charge at an interface between the passivation layer and the sensing material layer; and (b) in the recovery phase where the gas detection reaction is terminated and the original state is returned, applying a pre-bias greater or less than a read voltage to the control gate according to the type of gas detected, and then applying the read voltage to the drain and the source of the FET transducer to increase the desorption rate of the detected gas.

In some embodiments, a piezoelectric biosensor is provided. The piezoelectric biosensor includes a semiconductor substrate. A first electrode is disposed over the semiconductor substrate. A piezoelectric structure is disposed on the first electrode. A second electrode is disposed on the piezoelectric structure. A sensing reservoir is disposed over the piezoelectric structure and exposed to an ambient environment, where the sensing reservoir is configured to collect a fluid comprising a number of bio-entities.

A gas sensor comprises a substrate, a first semiconductor-based sensor element for determining the density and/or viscosity of a gas, which element is arranged above the substrate and which has a resonant element, and a cover arranged above the first sensor element, wherein the substrate and/or the cover has an opening to allow the passage of a gas to the first sensor element.

A gas sensor includes a gate electrode; a dielectric layer covering one surface of the gate electrode; an indium (In) gallium (Ga) zinc (Zn) oxide (O) (IGZO) thin-film formed over the dielectric layer, and first and second metallic electrodes formed on a surface of the IGZO thin-film to act as source and drain, respectively. The IGZO thin-film has an In concentration of 11%+/−3%, Ga concentration of 11%+/−3%, Zn concentration of 7%+/−3%, and 0 concentration of 71%+/−3%, with a sum of the concentrations being 100%, and the gas interacts with the IGZO thin-film and changes a current through the IGZO thin-film.

A gas sensor 10 has a measuring channel 11 with a gas inlet 12 and with a gas outlet 13, at least one receptor layer 20, a reference electrode 30 and a voltage-controlled analysis unit 50. The reference electrode 30 is capacitively coupled with the receptor layer 20. The reference electrode 30 is connected to the analysis unit 50 in an electrically conductive manner. The receptor layer 20 is formed in measuring channel 11. The measuring channel 11 forms a dielectric layer between the receptor layer 20 and the reference electrode 30. The receptor layer 20 has a support 21 and an analyte-binding layer 22. The present invention provides for the analyte-binding layer 22 to be a self-assembling monolayer (SAM).

In some embodiments, a piezoelectric biosensor is provided. The piezoelectric biosensor includes a semiconductor substrate. A first electrode is disposed over the semiconductor substrate. A piezoelectric structure is disposed on the first electrode. A second electrode is disposed on the piezoelectric structure. A sensing reservoir is disposed over the piezoelectric structure and exposed to an ambient environment, where the sensing reservoir is configured to collect a fluid comprising a number of bio-entities.

A moisture sensor is configured to be deployed in soil for measuring a moisture content. The moisture sensor includes a housing; a transistor configured to interact with water from the soil; a power source configured to generate an electrical current; and a processing unit configured to receive a reading from the transistor, and to calculate the moisture content of the soil based on the reading. The transistor includes a metal-organic framework, MOF.