Nano-electronic sensors for chemical and biological analytes, including capacitance and bio-membrane devices

• US 20070132043A1
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanomix Incorporated (CJY Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nanomix Incorporated (CJY Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bradley, Keith, Tu, Eugene, Skarupo, Sergei, Chang, Ying-Lan, Valcke, Christian, Gabriel, Jean-Christophe, Passmore, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,154,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/414
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4145 specially adapted for biomolecules, e.g. gate electrode with immobilised receptors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4146 involving nanosized elements, e.g. nanotubes, nanowires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0665 the shape of the body defining a nanostructure nanotechnology per se B82B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0673 oriented parallel to a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/742 Carbon nanotubes, CNTs

Abstract

Embodiments of nanoelectronic sensors are described, including sensors for detecting analytes inorganic gases, organic vapors, biomolecules, viruses and the like. A number of embodiments of capacitive sensors having alternative architectures are described. Particular examples include integrated cell membranes and membrane-like structures in nanoelectronic sensors.

Claims

1. A sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

a conductive base disposed adjacent the substrate;

a dielectric material covering at least a region of the conductive base;

one or more nanostructures disposed adjacent the dielectric material and capacitively coupled to the conductive base; and

a top lead electrically communicating to the one or more nanostructures.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more nanostructures comprises a network of carbon nanotubes.

3. The sensor of claim 2 further comprising a functionalization material disposed adjacent the carbon nanotubes.

4. A sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

a spaced-apart pair including a first and second conductive lead disposed adjacent the substrate;

a dielectric material covering at least a region of at least one conductive lead; and

one or more nanostructures disposed adjacent the dielectric material and capacitively coupled to at least one conductive lead.

5. The sensor of claim 4, wherein the one or more nanostructures comprises an electrically-continuous network including a plurality of carbon nanotubes spanning to cover at least a region of each conductive lead which separated from each lead by the dielectic material, and wherein neither conductive lead is in contact with the network of carbon nanotubes.

6. The sensor of claim 5, wherein the spaced-apart pair of conductive leads have a characteristic separation gap “

g”

, and wherein the carbon nanotubes have a characteristic length “

L”

, and wherein “

L”

is significantly greater that “

g”

.

7. The sensor of claim 5, wherein substantial numbers of nanotubes span the gap so as to have at least a portion of the spanning nanotube capacitively coupled to the first lead and at least a portion of the spanning nanotube capacitively coupled to the second lead.

8. The sensor of claim 4 further comprising a functionalization material disposed adjacent the carbon nanotubes.

9. The sensor of claim 4, wherein the dielectric material comprises a plurality of layers, each layer having a distinct composition.

10. A sensor comprising:

a substrate having an active region;

first and second conductive leads disposed adjacent the substrate and space apart from the active region;

a dielectric material disposed adjacent at least the active region; and

first and second nanostructure layers in electrical communication with the first and second conductive leads respectively,

the nanostructure layers each including one or more nanostructures,

the nanostructure layers arranged adjacent the active region and configured so as to be capacitively coupled and separated with respect to each other by the dielectric material.

11. The sensor of claim 10, wherein the one or more of the nanostructure layers comprises a network of carbon nanotubes.

12. The sensor of claim 10, further comprising a functionalization material disposed adjacent the carbon nanotubes.

13. The sensor of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the substrate and at least a portion of the dielectric material is porous and configured to permit an analyte medium to pass through the substrate active region.

14. A molecular sensor comprising:

a) a nanotube device comprising at least one carbon nanotube, wherein a first end of said nanotube is electrical coupled to a first conducting element without direct contact, and a second end of said nanotube is electrical coupled to a second conducting element; and

b) a coating of one or more sensing agents deposited on said nanotube, wherein said sensing agents are so chosen such that the agents-coated nanotube responds to a particular molecular species.

15. The molecular sensor of claim 14, wherein second end of said nanotube is electrical coupled to a second conducting element without direct contact.

16. A nanotube device comprising:

a nanotube film comprising a plurality of nanotubes and having a first end and a second end; and

first and second electrodes respectively disposed on said first end and said second end of said nanotube film, wherein the nanotube film is adapted to pass current between the first and second electrodes without direct contact with at least one of the first and second electrodes.

17. The nanotube device of claim 16, wherein the nanotube film is adapted to pass current between the first and second electrodes without direct contact with either of the first and second electrodes.

18. The nanotube device of claim 17, wherein the nanotube film is adapted to pass current in response to an AC voltage wherein an additional DC bias is applied between the first and second electrodes.