PROBE FOR MEASURING BIOMOLECULES BY MEANS OF ELECTROCHEMICAL IMPEDANCE SPECTROSCOPY

• US 20150015276A1
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimal Plc (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Kimal Plc (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Glocker, Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 9,939,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/649
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/026 Dielectric impedance spectroscopy electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for measuring corrosion G01N17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/26 Infectious diseases, e.g. generalised sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/067 Measuring probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/02 Measuring real or complex resistance, reactance, impedance, or other two-pole characteristics derived therefrom, e.g. time constant by measuring phase angle only G01R25/00

Abstract

A probe (1) for measuring biomolecules by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is proposed, having a distal end (2) and a proximal end (3), wherein the probe (1) has the following structure in a cross-section oriented transversely to its longitudinal extent: a base layer (4) of an insulating material, on a first side of the base layer (4) at least one layer (5, 6) of a conducting material, on a second side of the base layer (4), which is remote from the first side of the base layer (4), at least one layer (8) of a conducting material, and on the side of the layers of conducting material that is remote from the base layer (4), on the outside, in each case an outer layer (15) of an insulating material, wherein further the at least one layer (5, 6) of a conducting material on the first side of the base layer (4) is formed into an annular conductor structure (9) in the region of the distal end (2) of the probe, wherein the annular conductor structure (9) is followed proximally by at least one elongate conductor (10) which is in the form of a feed line for the annular conductor structure and extends to the proximal end (3) of the probe (1), and wherein the at least one layer (8) of a conducting material on the second side of the base layer (4) covers the predominant part of the base surface of the base layer (4), wherein the layer (8) of a conducting material on the second side of the base layer (4) has in the region of the distal end (2) of the probe (1) a polygonal hole (13) which is arranged concentrically to the annular conductor structure (9).

Claims

1. Probe for measuring biomolecules by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the probe has the following structure in a cross-section oriented transversely to its longitudinal extent:

a base layer of an insulating material, on a first side of the base layer at least one layer of a conducting material, on a second side of the base layer, which is remote from the first side of the base layer , at least one layer of a conducting material, and on the side of the layers of conducting material that is remote from the base layer, on the outside, in each case an outer layer of an insulating material, wherein further the at least one layer of a conducting material on the first side of the base layer is formed into an annular conductor structure in the region of the distal end of the probe, wherein the annular conductor structure is followed proximally by at least one elongate conductor which is in the form of a feed line for the annular conductor structure and extends to the proximal end of the probe, and wherein the at least one layer of a conducting material on the second side of the base layer covers the predominant part of the base surface of the base layer, wherein the layer of a conducting material on the second side of the base layer has in the region of the distal end of the probe a polygonal hole which is arranged concentrically to the annular conductor structure.

2. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that each of the layers of a conducting material is embedded in an insulating material.

3. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that the conducting material is a copper alloy and preferably each layer consists of a first ply of a copper film and a second ply applied to the first ply by galvanic deposition.

4. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that the insulating material of the base layers is the same material as that of the outer layers and/or of the embedding material of the layers of a conducting material.

5. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that the material of the base layer is a material having a dielectric constant of less than 3.7.

6. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that the insulating material is a polyimide.

7. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that the polygonal hole is at least sufficiently large that the annular conductor structure is not covered by the conducting material on the second side of the base layer that surrounds the hole, wherein the largest diameter of the hole is preferably not more than 1.5 times the largest diameter of the annular conductor structure.

8. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that the polygonal hole has from four to ten sides, preferably from five to nine sides, particularly preferably six, seven or eight sides.

9. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one layer of a conducting material on the first side of the base layer, which follows proximally the annular conductor structure as the feed line, comprises at least two elongate conductors which are spaced apart from one another and which are connected electrically to one another in the region of the connection to the annular conductor structure and in the region of the proximal end of the probe.

10. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that the probe has at its proximal end a connecting region for electrical and mechanical connection to a connecting cable, which is preferably in coaxial form.

11. Probe according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one layer of a conducting material on the first side of the base layer is connected as the exciter to the annular conductor structure and to the at least one elongate conductor in the form of the feed line for the annular conductor structure, and the layer of a conducting material on the second side of the base layer is connected as the earth.