Use of spatiotemporal response behavior in sensor arrays to detect analytes in fluids

• US 20020192117A1
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Lewis, Nathan S., Freund, Michael S., Briglin, Shawn M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,962,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/82.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/126 comprising organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/184 Only hydrogen sulfide

Abstract

Methods, systems and sensor arrays are provided implementing techniques for detecting an analyte in a fluid. The techniques include providing a sensor array including at least a first sensor and a second sensor in an arrangement having a defined fluid flow path, exposing the sensor array to a fluid including an analyte by introducing the fluid along the fluid flow path, measuring a response for the first sensor and the second sensor, and detecting the presence of the analyte in the fluid based on a spatio-temporal difference between the responses for the first and second sensors.

Claims

1. A system for detecting an analyte in a fluid, comprising:

a sensor array including at least a first sensor and a second sensor in an arrangement having a defined fluid flow path;

a measuring apparatus coupled to the sensor array, the measuring apparatus being configured to detect a response from the first sensor and the second sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to a fluid; and

a computer configured to generate data indicating the presence of the analyte in the fluid based on a spatio-temporal difference between the responses for the first and second sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the data indicating the presence of the analyte in the fluid includes a spatio-temporal response profile derived from the spatio-temporal difference between the responses for the first and second sensors.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the spatio-temporal response profile is derived from time information indicating the dependence of sensor response on time.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the first sensor occupies a first position in the arrangement and the second sensor occupies a second position in the arrangement, such that the response of the second sensor is delayed in time with respect to the response of the first sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to the fluid.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the first sensor occupies a first position in the arrangement and the second sensor occupies a second position in the arrangement, such that the response of the second sensor is changed in amplitude with respect to the response of the first sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to the fluid.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the first sensor includes a sensing material; and

the response of the first sensor is greater than the response of the second sensor for an analyte having a high affinity for the sensing material.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the first and second sensors are selected and arranged to provide a first delay between the response of the first sensor and the response of the second sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to a fluid including a first analyte and a second delay between the response of the first sensor and the response of the second sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to a fluid including a second analyte.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the measuring apparatus is configured to measure the delay between the response of the first sensor and the response of the second sensor; and

the spatio-temporal difference between the responses for the first and second sensors is derived from the delay.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the computer is configured to characterize the analyte based on the spatio-temporal difference between the responses.

10. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a flow controller to introduce the fluid to the sensor array at a varying flow rate.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the computer is configured to generate flow information indicating the dependence of sensor response on flow rate.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the sensor array includes a plurality of cross-reactive sensors.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the sensor array includes a plurality of sensors selected from the group including surface acoustic wave sensors, quartz crystal resonators, metal oxide sensors, dye-coated fiber optic sensors, dye-impregnated bead arrays, micromachined cantilever arrays, composites having regions of conducting material and regions of insulating organic material, composites having regions of conducting material and regions of conducting or semiconducting organic material, chemically-sensitive resistor or capacitor films, metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors, and bulk organic conducting polymeric sensors.

14. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the first and second sensors comprise composites having regions of a conducting material and regions of an insulating organic material.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the first and second sensors comprise composites having regions of a conducting material and regions of a conducting organic material.

16. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the computer is configured to generate a digital representation of the analyte based at least in part on the responses of the first and second sensors.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a communications port coupled to the computer for communicating the digital representation of the analyte to a remote location for analysis.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the spatio-temporal difference is derived from time information indicating the dependence of sensor response on time.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the first sensor occupies a first position relative to the fluid flow pattern and the second sensor occupies a second position relative to the fluid flow pattern, such that the response of the second sensor is delayed with respect to the response of the first sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to the fluid.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the first sensor occupies a first position relative to the fluid flow pattern and the second sensor occupies a second position relative to the fluid flow pattern, such that the response of the second sensor is changed in amplitude with respect to the response of the first sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to the fluid.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the first sensor includes a sensing material; and

the response of the first sensor is greater than the response of the second sensor for an analyte having a high affinity for the sensing material.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the first and second sensors are selected and arranged to provide a first delay between the response of the first sensor and the response of the second sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to a fluid including a first analyte and a second delay between the response of the first sensor and the response of the second sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to a fluid including a second analyte.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the measuring apparatus is configured to measure the delay between the response of the first sensor and the response of the second sensor; and

the spatio-temporal difference between the responses for the first and second sensors is derived from the delay.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a computer configured to characterize the analyte based on the spatio-temporal difference between the responses.

26. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a flow controller to introduce the fluid to the sensor array at a varying flow rate.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein:

the measuring apparatus is configured to measure flow information indicating the dependence of sensor response on flow rate.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the sensor array includes a plurality of cross-reactive sensors.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the sensor array includes a plurality of sensors selected from the group including surface acoustic wave sensors, quartz crystal resonators, metal oxide sensors, dye-coated fiber optic sensors, dye-impregnated bead arrays, micromachined cantilever arrays, composites having regions of conducting material and regions of insulating organic material, composites having regions of conducting material and regions of conducting or semiconducting organic material, chemically-sensitive resistor or capacitor films, metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors, and bulk organic conducting polymeric sensors.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the first and second sensors comprise composites having regions of a conducting material and regions of an insulating organic material.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the first and second sensors comprise composites having regions of a conducting material and regions of a conducting organic material.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein:

the computer is configured to generate a digital representation of the analyte based at least in part on the responses of the first and second sensors.

18. A system for detecting an analyte in a fluid, comprising:

a sensor array including a first sensor and a second sensor;

a fluid inlet proximate to the sensor array, the fluid inlet defining a fluid flow pattern for the introduction of a fluid onto the sensor array, such that the first and second sensors are located at different locations in the sensor array relative to the fluid flow pattern; and

a measuring apparatus connected to the sensor array, the measuring apparatus being configured to detect a response from the first sensor and the second sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to a fluid, the responses defining a spatio-temporal difference between the responses for the first and second sensors based on the locations of the sensors relative to the fluid flow pattern.

33. A system for detecting an analyte in a fluid, comprising:

a sensor array including a first sensor and a second sensor;

a fluid flow exposing the first and second sensors to a fluid, such that the first and second sensors occupy different locations in the sensor array relative to the fluid flow; and

a measuring apparatus connected to the sensor array, the measuring apparatus being configured to detect a response from the first and second sensors upon exposure of the sensor array to the fluid flow, the responses defining a spatio-temporal difference based on the locations of the sensors in the sensor array relative to the fluid flow.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein:

the spatio temporal difference is derived from time information indicating the dependence of sensor response on time.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein:

the first sensor occupies a first position relative to the fluid flow and the second sensor occupies a second position relative to the fluid flow, such that the response of the second sensor is delayed with respect to the response of the first sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to the fluid.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein:

the first sensor occupies a first position relative to the fluid flow and the second sensor occupies a second position relative to the fluid flow, such that the response of the second sensor is changed in amplitude with respect to the response of the first sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to the fluid.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein:

the first sensor includes a sensing material; and

the response of the first sensor is greater than the response of the second sensor for an analyte having a high affinity for the sensing material.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein:

the first and second sensors are selected and arranged to provide a first delay between the response of the first sensor and the response of the second sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to a fluid including a first analyte and a second delay between the response of the first sensor and the response of the second sensor upon exposure of the sensor array to a fluid including a second analyte.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein:

the measuring apparatus is configured to measure the delay between the response of the first sensor and the response of the second sensor; and

the spatio-temporal difference between the responses for the first and second sensors is derived from the delay.

40. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

a computer configured to characterize the analyte based on the spatio-temporal difference between the responses.

41. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

a flow controller to vary the rate of the fluid flow.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the measuring apparatus is configured to measure flow information indicating the dependence of sensor response on flow rate.

43. The system of claim 33, wherein:

the sensor array includes a plurality of cross-reactive sensors.

44. The system of claim 33, wherein:

the sensor array includes a plurality of sensors selected from the group including surface acoustic wave sensors, quartz crystal resonators, metal oxide sensors, dye-coated fiber optic sensors, dye-impregnated bead arrays, micromachined cantilever arrays, composites having regions of conducting material and regions of insulating organic material, composites having regions of conducting material and regions of conducting or semiconducting organic material, chemically-sensitive resistor or capacitor films, metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors, and bulk organic conducting polymeric sensors.

45. The system of claim 33, wherein:

the first and second sensors comprise composites having regions of a conducting material and regions of an insulating organic material.

46. The system of claim 33, wherein:

the first and second sensors comprise composites having regions of a conducting material and regions of a conducting organic material.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein:

the computer is configured to generate a digital representation of the analyte based at least in part on the responses of the first and second sensors.