PARTICLE INSPECTION SYSTEM AND DRIVING METHOD EMPLOYED THEREIN

• US 20170122859A1
• Filed: 01/18/2017
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: NISHIGAKI, Michihiko, HAMASAKI, Hiroshi, NAKAMURA, Naofumi, KOBAYASHI, Kentaro, MIKI, Hiroko
• Granted Patent: US 10,533,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1023 Microstructural devices for non-optical measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1031 by measuring electrical or magnetic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/12 by observing changes in resistance or impedance across apertures when traversed by individual particles, e.g. by using the Coulter principle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/131 Details G01N15/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/135 Electrodes

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a particle inspection system includes a voltage driving circuit which applies a driving voltage for a particle inspection to a particle inspection chip, a current-voltage conversion circuit which converts, into a voltage signal, a current signal output from the particle inspection chip when the driving voltage is applied to the particle inspection chip, a detection circuit which detects, based on the voltage signal, whether the sample liquid is introduced into a detection region of the particle inspection chip, and an analysis circuit which analyzes the fine particle, in the sample liquid based on the voltage signal. The voltage driving circuit varies the driving voltage based on the detection result of the detection circuit.

Claims

1. A particle inspection system comprising:

a voltage driving circuit which applies a driving voltage for a particle inspection to a particle inspection chip which detects a fine particle in a sample liquid and outputs a current signal indicative of the fine particle;

a current-voltage conversion circuit which converts, into a voltage signal, the current signal output from the particle inspection (ship when the driving voltage is applied to the particle inspection chip;

a detection circuit which detects, based on the voltage signal, whether the sample liquid is introduced into a detection region of the particle inspection chip; and

an analysis circuit which analyzes the fine particle in the sample liquid based on the voltage signal,

wherein the voltage driving circuit varies the driving voltage based on a detection result of the detection circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a second driving voltage is higher than a first driving voltage, where the first driving voltage corresponds to the driving voltage applied by the voltage driving circuit before the sample liquid is introduced into the detection region, and the second driving voltage corresponds to the driving voltage applied by the voltage driving circuit after the sample liquid is introduced into the detection region and the detection circuit detects introduction of the sample liquid.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a time required for the driving voltage to shift from the first driving in voltage to the second driving voltage is 10 μ

s or more.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the particle inspection chip comprises a channel provided in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate and permitting the sample liquid to pass therethrough, and a micropore provided at part of the channel for passing therethrough the fine particle in the sample liquid.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the particle inspection chip comprises a first channel provided in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate and permitting the sample liquid to pass therethrough, a second channel provided in a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate different from the surface portion of the first channel and permitting the sample liquid or an electrolyte to pass therethrough, a contact portion at which part of the first channel is adjacent to or intersects part of the second channel with a partition interposed therebetween, a micropore provided in the partition for passing the fine particle therethrough, and electrodes provided across the first and second channels with the micropore interposed therebetween.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the particle inspection chip and a part of each circuit or each entire circuit are formed on a single semiconductor substrate.

13. A particle inspection system driving method comprising:

causing the particle inspection system recited in claim 1 to perform;

detecting, using the detection circuit, whether the sample liquid is introduced into the detection region, with a first driving voltage applied to the particle inspection chip;

applying a second driving voltage different from the first driving voltage to the particle inspection chip after introduction of the sample liquid is detected; and

analyzing the fine particle in the sample liquid, using the analysis circuit and based on the voltage signal obtained by the current-voltage conversion circuit with the second driving voltage applied.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second driving voltage is higher than the first driving voltage.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a time required for the driving voltage to shift from the first driving voltage to the second driving voltage is 10 μ

s or more.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the particle inspection chip comprises a channel provided in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate and permitting the sample liquid to pass therethrough, and a micropore provided at part of the channel for passing therethrough the fine particle in the sample liquid.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the particle inspection chip comprises a first channel provided in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate and permitting the sample liquid to pass therethrough, a second channel provided in a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate different from the surface portion of the first channel and permitting the sample liquid or an electrolyte to pass therethrough, a contact portion at which part of the first channel is adjacent to or intersects part of the second channel with a partition interposed therebetween, a micropore provided in the partition for passing the fine particle therethrough, and electrodes provided across the first and second channels with the micropore interposed therebetween.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the particle inspection chip and a part of each circuit or each entire circuit are formed on a single semiconductor substrate.

7. A particle inspection system comprising:

a current driving circuit which applies a driving voltage for a particle inspection to a particle inspection chip which detects a fine particle in a sample liquid and outputs a current signal indicative of the fine particle to cause a constant current to flow in a detection region of the particle inspection chip;

a current-voltage conversion circuit which converts, into a voltage signal, the current signal output from the particle inspection chip when the driving voltage is applied to the particle inspection chip;

a detection circuit which detects whether the sample liquid is introduced into the detection region of the particle inspection chip, based on the voltage signal obtained by the current-voltage conversion circuit or the driving voltage applied by the current driving circuit; and

an analysis circuit which analyzes the fine particle in the sample liquid based on the voltage signal,

wherein the current driving circuit varies the driving voltage based on a detection result of the detection circuit.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a second driving voltage is higher than a first driving voltage, where the first driving voltage corresponds to the driving voltage applied by the current driving circuit before the sample liquid is introduced into the detection region, and the second driving voltage corresponds to the driving voltage applied by the current driving circuit after the sample liquid is introduced into the detection region and the detection circuit detects introduction of the sample liquid.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a time required for the driving voltage to shift from the first driving voltage to the second driving voltage is 10 μ

s or more.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the particle inspection chip comprises a channel provided in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate and permitting the sample liquid to pass therethrough, and a micropore provided at part of the channel for passing therethrough the fine particle in the sample liquid.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the particle inspection chip comprises a first channel provided in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate and permitting the sample liquid to pass therethrough, a second channel provided in a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate different from the surface portion of the first channel and permitting the sample liquid or an electrolyte to pass therethrough, a contact portion at which part of the first channel is adjacent to or intersects part of the second channel with a partition interposed therebetween, a micropore provided in the partition for passing the fine particle therethrough, and electrodes provided across the first and second channels with the micropore interposed therebetween.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the particle inspection chip and a part of each circuit or each entire circuit are formed on a single semiconductor substrate.