BIOSENSORS AND BIOSENSING INCORPORATING RF AND MICROWAVE REDIATION

• US 20100081132A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Horesh, Moran
• Granted Patent: US 9,709,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/607 being a sensor, e.g. electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5438 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78 with field effect produced by an insulated gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/817 Enzyme or microbe electrode

Abstract

Devices capable applying microwave and RF electromagnetic radiation to specific molecular interactions between a capture molecule and a target analyte and capable of sensing the specific molecular interaction are provided. Specific molecular interactions include, for example, specific recognition events such as, receptor-ligand, antigen-antibody, DNA-protein, sugar-lectin, RNA-ribosome, and enzyme substrate interactions and nucleic acid-nucleic acid hybridizations. Additionally, methods are provided for detecting the presence or absence of a target analyte in a sample. The presence or absence of the target analyte is detected, in part, through the detection of a binding complex between the target analyte and a capture molecule in the presence of microwave and or RF electromagnetic radiation.

Claims

1. A device capable of sensing a biological interaction, wherein the device comprises

a substrate having a surface and a sensor wherein the sensor has a sensing element and the sensing element is within the substrate surface and wherein the sensor is capable of sensing the occurrence of biological events at the sensing element surface and wherein the biological events are selected from the group consisting of an interaction of a capture molecule with a target molecule and an occurrence of an enzymatic catalytic reaction, and

a module capable of generating electromagnetic radiation having a frequency in the microwave or radiofrequency range housed in the substrate,

wherein the module comprises a transmitting element connected to a circuit to cause the production of microwave or radiofrequency radiation by the transmitting element.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the device additionally comprises capture molecules capable of specifically recognizing an analyte that are located on the sensing element.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the device additionally comprises capture molecules capable of specifically recognizing an analyte located on the sensing element and the capture molecule is selected from the group consisting of nucleic acids, peptides, and antibodies.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the device additionally comprises an enzyme capable of catalyzing a chemical reaction in the presence of a target analyte.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of electrodes and field effect transistors.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the module capable of generating electromagnetic radiation having a frequency in the microwave or radiofrequency range is capable of generating radiation having a frequency from 1 GHz to 50 GHz.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the device additionally comprises a plurality of sensors that form an array of sensors.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the plurality of sensors additionally comprise capture molecules capable of specifically recognizing an analyte.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the module capable of generating microwave or radiofrequency radiation is capable of generating radiation that has a maximum transmission range of 2.5 mm.

10. A method for detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample comprising,

providing a sample to be investigated for the presence or absence of a target analyte,

providing a sensor that is capable of detecting the presence or absence of a target analyte in a sample, wherein the sensor comprises a region having capture molecules that are capable of specifically binding to a target analyte and wherein the sensor is capable of detecting a binding event between a capture molecule and a target analyte,

applying microwave or RF frequency electromagnetic radiation to the region of the capture molecules, and

detecting the presence or absence of the target analyte in the sample using the sensor.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor that is capable of detecting the presence or absence of a target analyte is an electronic sensor.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of electrodes and field effect transistors.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the microwave or RF frequency electromagnetic radiation has a frequency in the range of 1 GHz to 15 GHz.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the microwave or RF frequency electromagnetic radiation has a frequency in the range of 1 GHz to 50 GHz.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the capture molecule is selected from the group consisting of nucleic acids, peptides, and antibodies.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the method additionally comprises providing a plurality of sensors comprising an array of electronic sensors and a plurality of different target analytes are detected using the array of sensors.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is located in a substrate and the microwave or RF radiation is applied through an element also located in the substrate.

18. A method for detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample comprising,

providing a sample to be investigated for the presence or absence of a target analyte,

providing a sensor that is capable of detecting the presence or absence of a target analyte in a sample, wherein the sensor comprises a region having molecules capable of catalyzing a reaction in the presence of the target analyte, wherein the products of the catalyzed reaction can be detected by the sensor,

applying microwave or RF frequency electromagnetic radiation to the region of the molecules capable of catalyzing a reaction in the presence of the target analyte, and

detecting the presence or absence of the target analyte in the sample using the sensor.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the sensor that is capable of detecting the presence or absence of a target analyte is an electronic sensor.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of electrodes and field effect transistors.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the microwave or RF frequency electromagnetic radiation has a frequency in the range of 1 GHz to 15 GHz.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the microwave or RF frequency electromagnetic radiation has a frequency in the range of 1 GHz to 50 GHz.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the sensor is located in a substrate and the microwave or RF radiation is applied through an element also located in the substrate.