MULTICHANNEL POTENTIOSTAT ANALYZER SYSTEM AND METHODS

• US 20160123921A1
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zansors LLC
• Original Assignee: Zansors LLC
• Inventors: LI, Baichen
• Granted Patent: US 9,983,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/416 Systems G01N27/27 takes precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure outlines a device having a multi-channel potentiostat circuit and a microcontroller for controlling the multi-channel potentiostat circuit. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit includes a counter electrode, a reference electrode, and a first switch between the counter electrode and the reference electrode. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit also includes a plurality of measurement circuits coupled to respective second switches. The microcontroller can configured to provide a first signal to the multi-channel potentiostat circuit to control the first switch, wherein a state of the first switch changes an operating mode of the multi-channel potentiostat circuit. The microcontroller is also configured to provide a second signal to the multi-channel potentiostat circuit to control at least one of the second switches to couple at least one of the plurality of measurement circuits to a working electrode.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a multi-channel potentiostat circuit comprising;

a counter electrode and a reference electrode;

a first switch between the counter electrode and the reference electrode;

a plurality of measurement circuits coupled to respective second switches; and

a microcontroller configured to;

provide a first signal to the multi-channel potentiostat circuit to control the first switch, wherein a state of the first switch changes an operating mode of the multi-channel potentiostat circuit; and

provide a second signal to the multi-channel potentiostat circuit to control at least one of the second switches to couple at least one of the plurality of measurement circuits to a working electrode.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first signal indicates whether the multi-channel potentiostat circuit operates in a 2-lead operating mode or in a 3-lead operating mode.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the multi-channel potentiostat circuit operates in the 2-lead operating mode when the first switch is closed and the multi-channel potentiostat circuit operates in the 3-lead operating mode when the first switch is open.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a gain amplifier configured to amplify one or more outputs of the multi-channel potentiostat circuit and to provide an amplified output to the microcontroller.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a default state of the first switch is closed to prevent a floating voltage.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to sequentially close each of the respective second switches to couple each of the plurality of measurement circuits to a respective working electrode one-by-one.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the second signal comprises a plurality of control signals, each of the plurality of control signals being configured to couple a respective working electrode to a respective measurement circuit of the plurality of measurement circuits when multiple measurement circuits of the plurality of measurement circuits share a same voltage bias or a same voltammetry function.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is powered using a connection to a computing device via a universal serial bus (“

USB”

) connection.

9. A multi-channel potentiostat circuit comprising:

a counter electrode and a reference electrode;

a first switch between the counter electrode and the reference electrode; and

a plurality of measurement circuits configured to be coupled to a respective working electrode via a respective second switch.

10. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit of claim 9, wherein the multi-channel potentiostat circuit is configured to operate in a first operating mode or a second operating mode based on a control signal.

11. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit of claim 10, wherein the first operating mode is a 2-lead operating mode and the second operating mode is a 3-lead operating mode.

12. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit of claim 10, wherein the multi-channel potentiostat circuit operates in the 2-lead operating mode when the first switch is closed and the multi-channel potentiostat circuit operates in the 3-lead operating mode when the first switch is open.

13. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit of claim 9, wherein each of the respective second switches are configured to be sequentially closed to couple each of the plurality of measurement circuits to a respective working electrode one-by-one.

14. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit of claim 9, wherein a plurality of the respective second switches are configured to be closed simultaneously to couple a respective working electrode to a respective measurement circuit of the plurality of measurement circuits when multiple measurement circuits of the plurality of measurement circuits share a same voltage bias or a same voltammetry function.

15. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit of claim 9, wherein a default state of the first switch is closed to prevent a floating voltage.

16. A method for operating a multi-channel potentiostat circuit comprising:

providing a first signal to the multi-channel potentiostat circuit to control an operating mode of the multi-channel potentiostat circuit;

providing a second signal to the multi-channel potentiostat circuit to couple at least one measurement circuit of a plurality of measurement circuits of the multi-channel potentiostat circuit to a working electrode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the operating mode comprises a 2-lead operating mode and a 3-lead operating mode, and wherein the multi-channel potentiostat circuit operates in the 2-lead operating mode when the first signal causes a switch to close and the multi-channel potentiostat circuit operates in the 3-lead operating mode when the first signal causes the switch to open.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a default state of the switch is closed to prevent a floating voltage.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, when operating in the 3-lead operating mode, the second signal comprises a plurality of control signals, and the method further comprises sequentially coupling the plurality of measurement circuits to respective working electrodes via second switches based on the plurality of control signals.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein, when operating in the 3-lead operating mode, the second signal comprises a plurality of control signals, and wherein the method further comprises simultaneously coupling multiples ones of the plurality of measurement circuits to respective working electrodes via second switches based on the plurality of control signals.