MULTI-ELECTRODE MOLECULAR SENSING DEVICES AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

• US 20180259474A1
• Filed: 05/14/2018
• Published: 09/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roswell Me Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Roswell Biotechnologies Inc.
• Inventors: Jin, Sungho, Merriman, Barry L., Geiser, Tim, Choi, Chulmin, Mola, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,584,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0214 Biosensors; Chemical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/058 Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/04 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00126 Static structures not provided for in groups B81C1/00031 - B81C1/00119
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6869 Methods for sequencing
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/01 on temporary substrates, e.g. substrates subsequently removed by etching
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/04 by investigating resistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/221 by investigating the dielectric properties using microwaves G01N22/00; measuring loss factors or dielectric constants per se G01R27/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3278 involving nanosized elements, e.g. nanogaps or nanoparticles nanopores G01N33/48721; magnetic beads G01N27/745
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4145 specially adapted for biomolecules, e.g. gate electrode with immobilised receptors

Abstract

A molecular sensor includes a substrate defining a substrate plane, and a plurality of pairs of electrode sheets above or below the substrate at an angle to the substrate plane. The molecular sensor further includes a plurality of inner dielectric sheets between each electrode sheet in each pair of electrode sheets of the plurality of pairs, and an outer dielectric sheet between each pair of electrode sheets of the plurality of pairs.

Claims

1. A molecular sensor, comprising:

a substrate defining a substrate plane;

a plurality of pairs of electrode sheets above or below the substrate at an angle to the substrate plane;

a plurality of inner dielectric sheets between each electrode sheet in each pair of electrode sheets of the plurality of pairs; and

an outer dielectric sheet between each pair of electrode sheets of the plurality of pairs.

2. The molecular sensor of claim 1, wherein each inner dielectric sheet of the plurality of inner dielectric sheets has a first thickness, and wherein the outer dielectric sheet has a second thickness at least one order of magnitude greater than the first thickness.

3. The molecular sensor of claim 1, further comprising a groove between each electrode sheet in each pair of electrode sheets of the plurality of pairs, each groove located on an exposed end portion of an inner dielectric sheet of the plurality of inner dielectric sheets.

4. The molecular sensor of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric cover layer covering an end portion of the plurality of pairs opposite the substrate, the dielectric cover layer defining a gap exposing a portion of the plurality of pairs.

5. The molecular sensor of claim 4, wherein the gap defined by the dielectric cover layer is between approximately 2 to 40 nanometers wide.

6. The molecular sensor of claim 1, wherein an exposed edge of each electrode sheet in the plurality of pairs opposite the substrate has been roughened.

7. The molecular sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of lead conductors, each lead conductor of the plurality of lead conductors extending from an electrode sheet of the plurality of pairs; and

a plurality of contacts, each contact of the plurality of contacts in electrical communication with a lead conductor of the plurality of lead conductors; and

wherein each lead conductor of the plurality of lead conductors diverges in width from an edge of the electrode sheet to the contact.

8. The molecular sensor of claim 1, further comprising a gate electrode parallel to the substrate plane and perpendicular to an electrode plane defined by an electrode sheet in the plurality of pairs.

9. The molecular sensor of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of channels, each channel of the plurality of channels arranged to introduce a fluid to exposed portions of at least two pairs of electrode sheets of the plurality of pairs.

10. The molecular sensor of claim 1, wherein the molecular sensor is used to detect at least one of a DNA molecule, an antibody molecule, and a protein molecule by measuring an electronic signal in the molecular sensor.

11. The molecular sensor of claim 10, wherein the molecular sensor is used for genome sequencing.