EMBEDDED PIEZOELECTRIC MICROCANTILEVER SENSORS
First Claim
1. An embedded microcantilever for detecting at least one analyte comprising:
- a deflectable arm having a first end fixedly coupled to a substrate, and a second end at least partially embedded within a solid-phase sensing material deposit, wherein the solid-phase sensing material deposit is capable of producing, a volumetric change based on the contact of the at least one analyte with the solid-phase sensing material, and said arm being capable of deflecting responsive to the volumetric change of the solid-phase sensing material deposit; and
detecting means capable of measuring the deflection of said arm.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for sensing chemical and/or biological analytes includes a deflectable arm of a microcantilever at least partially embedded within a sensing element. A gaseous or liquid medium which may include the analyte being detected is introduced to the sensing element. The sensing element undergoes volumetric expansion or contraction in the presence of the analyte sought to be detected, typically by adsorbing the analyte. The volumetric change of the sensing element causes the deflectable arm to deflect. The deflectable arm includes at least one measurable physical property which changes when the arm deflects. Detecting means are provided to measure the change in the physical property to determine the presence and amount of analyte present. An array of microcantilevers in which each microcantilever is dedicated to detecting a particular analyte which may be included in the medium, is also provided.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An embedded microcantilever for detecting at least one analyte comprising:
a deflectable arm having a first end fixedly coupled to a substrate, and a second end at least partially embedded within a solid-phase sensing material deposit, wherein the solid-phase sensing material deposit is capable of producing, a volumetric change based on the contact of the at least one analyte with the solid-phase sensing material, and said arm being capable of deflecting responsive to the volumetric change of the solid-phase sensing material deposit; and
detecting means capable of measuring the deflection of said arm.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An array of embedded microcantilevers for detecting analytes, comprising:
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a plurality of discrete solid-phase sensing material deposits formed on a surface;
a corresponding plurality of deflectable arms, each having one end fixedly coupled to a substrate and an overhang portion at least partially embedded within a corresponding one of said solid-phase sensing material deposits, wherein each of the solid-phase sensing material deposits is capable of producing a volumetric change based on the contact of at least one analyte with the solid-phase sensing material, and each deflectable arm being capable of deflecting responsive to a volumetric change in said corresponding solid-phase sensing material deposit; and
detecting means capable of measuring the deflection of each deflectable arm. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for detecting an analyte within a medium, comprising:
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providing a deflectable microcantilever arm having a first end fixedly coupled to a substrate, said microcantilever arm disposed in a rest position;
forming a solid-phase sensing material deposit adjacent to said arm and at least partially embedding a second end of said arm into said solid-phase sensing material deposit, said solid-phase sensing material deposit capable of at least one of vertical swelling and vertical contraction responsive to the contact of said analyte with said solid-phase sensing material deposit, said vertical swelling causing-said microcantilever arm upward deflection and said vertical contraction causing said microcantilever arm downward deflection;
introducing a medium containing said analyte to said sensing element, said medium being one of a liquid and a vapor; and
measuring said deflection of said microcantilever arm. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An embedded microcantilever for detecting at least one analyte comprising:
a deflectable arm having a first end fixedly coupled to a substrate, and a second end at least partially embedded within a sensing material deposit, wherein the sensing material deposit is different from said at least one analyte and is capable of producing a volumetric change based on the contact of the at least one analyte with the sensing material, and said arm being capable of deflecting responsive to the volumetric change of the sensing material deposit; and
detecting means capable of measuring the deflection of said arm.
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35. A method for detecting an analyte within a medium, comprising:
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providing a deflectable microcantilever arm having a first end fixedly coupled to a substrate, said microcantilever arm disposed in a rest position;
forming a sensing material deposit compositionally different from said at least one analyte adjacent to said arm and at least partially embedding a second end of said arm into said sensing material deposit, said at least one analyte and said sensing material deposit being capable of at least one of vertical swelling and vertical contraction responsive to the contact of said analyte with said sensing material deposit, said vertical swelling causing said microcantilever arm upward deflection and said vertical contraction causing said microcantilever arm downward deflection;
introducing a medium containing said analyte to said sensing element, said medium being one of a liquid and a vapor; and
measuring said deflection of said microcantilever arm.
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Specification