Sensor device

• US 5,140,393 A
• Filed: 09/05/1990
• Issued: 08/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hijikihigawa, Masaya, Kataoka, Shoei
• Primary Examiner(s): James, Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crane, Sara W.
• Application Number:
  US07/579,195
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 357/25, 357/23.15, 204/403, 204/409, 204/412, 204/416
• US Class Current: 257/252
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/001 Enzyme electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/183 characterised by the use of the resistive element
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/12 of a solid body in dependence upon absorption of a fluid; of a solid body in dependence upon reaction with a fluid , for detecting components in the fluid

Abstract

A sensor device comprising a substrate and a sensor formed on thereof which is made of a metal, metallic oxide, semiconductor, dielectric or organic material, the sensor having projections or indentations formed on or in its surface with optional predetermined shape and dimensions; which is useful as a chemical sensor, biosensor or physical sensor device of improved performance and function.

Claims

1. An improved semiconductor sensing device having

a substrate having a surface,

a channel region formed in said substrate surface,

source and drain electrodes formed on said substrate for enabling an electric current to flow therebetween.

a reference electrode, opposed to and spaced from said channel region for applying a potential across said channel region and varying said electric current between said source and drain electrodes, and

a sensor for a substance to be detected formed on said substrate surface over said channel region, said sensor being adapted to receive a fluid flow between said channel region and said reference electrode;

wherein the improvement comprises;

said sensor comprising a living body associated substance being fixed to said substrate surface over said channel region to form a plurality of configured projections of predetermined shape and pitch formed over said channel region, said projections causing said living body associated matter to have an enhanced area of contact with said fluid flow, said projection shapes and pitches being shaped according to a predetermined optimal sensing characteristic such that when said sensor detects said substance to be detected said potential across said channel region varies so that said electric current between said source and drain electrodes becomes a maximum;

wherein said enhanced area of contact caused by said projections providing an enhanced reproducible potential variation across said channel region over time, thereby providing an enhanced reproducible drain current through said channel region over time for said sensor, and thereby providing an enhanced detection sensitivity of said sensor over time.

2. An improved semiconductor sensing device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said predetermined shape comprises a shape at least selected from the group consisting of trapezoidal, pyramidal, conical, semi-spherical and rectangular.

3. An improved semiconductor sensing device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pitch of said projections comprises a periodic arrangement of said projections.

4. An improved semiconductor sensing device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said projections are formed on said substrate at an outer peripheral portion of said substrate where said channel region is not formed, said projections preventing peeling of said sensor from said surface.

5. An improved semiconductor sensing device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pitch of said projections comprises a random arrangement of sad projections.

6. An improved semiconductor device as defined in claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises a metal, metallic oxide, semiconductor, or dielectric.

7. An improved semiconductor device as defined in claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises an enzyme or a bacterium.

8. An improved semiconductor sensing device having

a substrate having a surface,

a channel region formed on said substrate surface,

source and drain electrodes formed on said substrate for enabling an electric current to flow therebetween,

a sensor for detecting a substance, formed on the channel region, said sensor having a surface,

and a reference electrode opposed to and spaced from said channel region to enable a fluid flow between said channel region and said reference electrode;

wherein the improvement comprises;

said sensor surface comprising a living body associated substance and having a plurality of configured projections formed thereon,

said projections providing an enhanced area of contact with said fluid flow and providing an enhanced reproducible potential variation across said channel region over time, thereby providing an enhanced reproducible detection sensitivity of said sensor over time;

whereby enhanced detection results may be obtained with good reproducibility.

9. An improved semiconductor sensing device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said projections are formed on the surface of the sensor by chemical or physical finely processing means.

10. An improved semiconductor sensing device having a substrate having a surface,

a channel region formed in said substrate surface,

source and drain electrodes formed on said substrate for enabling an electric current to flow therebetween,

a reference electrode opposed to and spaced from said channel region for applying a potential across said channel region and varying said electric current between said source and drain electrodes, and

a sensor for a substance to be detected formed on said substrate surface over said channel region, said sensor being adapted to receive a fluid flow between said channel region and said reference electrode;

wherein the improvement comprises;

said sensor comprising a living body associated substance film being fixed to and covering substantially all of said substrate surface over said channel region to form a plurality of configured projections of predetermined shape and pitch formed over said channel region, said projections causing said living body associated matter to have an enhanced area of contact with said fluid flow, said projection shapes and pitches being shaped according to a predetermined optimal sensing characteristic such that when said sensor detects said substance to be detected said potential across said channel region varies so that said electric current between said source and drain electrodes becomes a maximum;

wherein said enhanced area of contact caused by said projections providing an enhanced reproducible potential variation across said channel region over time, thereby providing an enhanced reproducible drain current through said channel region over time for said sensor, and thereby providing an enhanced detection sensitivity of said sensor over time.