2D/3D chemical sensors and methods of fabricating and operating the same
First Claim
1. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
- a flexible substrate;
a flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to provide at least one opening that exposes the flexible lower electrode to the chemical, if present, and to establish a current flow path between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Chemical sensors include a flexible substrate, a flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate, and a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate. A patterned flexible upper electrode also is included on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the flexible lower electrode. The patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode are patterned to establish a first current flow path between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode. The flexible lower electrode also may be patterned to establish a second current flow path between portions of the patterned flexible lower electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the portions of the patterned flexible lower electrodes. The flexible upper electrode also may be patterned to establish a third current flow path between portions of the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the portions of the patterned flexible upper electrode. A rigid substrate also may be used.
28 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a flexible substrate;
a flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to provide at least one opening that exposes the flexible lower electrode to the chemical, if present, and to establish a current flow path between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a flexible substrate;
a flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to establish a current flow path between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode;
wherein the patterned flexible upper electrode includes a plurality of spaced apart fingers that are spaced apart from one another by at least an order of magnitude more than the thickness of the patterned flexible dielectric layer. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a flexible substrate;
a flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to establish a current flow path between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode;
wherein the flexible lower electrode is an unpatterned flexible lower electrode.
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9. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a flexible substrate;
a flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to establish a current flow path between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode;
wherein the flexible substrate comprises polyimide.
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10. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a flexible substrate;
a flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to establish a current flow path between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode;
wherein the flexible dielectric layer comprises polyimide, a Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) coating and/or a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating.
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11. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the patterned flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the patterned flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to establish a current flow path between the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode;
wherein the patterned flexible lower electrode is patterned to establish a second current flow path between portions of the patterned flexible lower electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the portions of the patterned flexible lower electrode. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a flexible substrate;
a flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to establish a current flow path between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode;
wherein the patterned flexible upper electrode is patterned to establish a second current flow path between portions of the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the portions of the patterned flexible upper electrode.
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14. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the patterned flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the patterned flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to establish a current flow path between the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode;
wherein the patterned flexible upper electrode and the patterned flexible lower electrode both include a plurality of spaced apart fingers, the patterned flexible dielectric layer, the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to establish a first current flow path between the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, a second current flow path between adjacent fingers of the patterned flexible lower electrode through the chemical, if present, and a third current flow path between adjacent fingers of the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the adjacent fingers of the patterned flexible lower electrode, between the adjacent fingers of the patterned flexible upper electrode and between adjacent fingers of the patterned upper and lower flexible electrodes.
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15. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible lower electrode on the flexible substrate;
a patterned flexible dielectric layer on the patterned flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate; and
a patterned flexible upper electrode on the patterned flexible dielectric layer opposite the patterned flexible lower electrode, the patterned flexible dielectric layer and the patterned flexible upper electrode being patterned to establish a current flow path between the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode;
wherein the patterned flexible dielectric layer, the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode are patterned to establish a first current flow path between the patterned flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, a second current flow path between portions of the patterned flexible lower electrode through the chemical, if present, and a third current flow path between portions of the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the patterned flexible upper electrode and the patterned flexible lower electrode.
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16. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a substrate;
a lower electrode on the substrate;
a patterned dielectric layer on the lower electrode opposite the substrate; and
a patterned upper electrode on the patterned dielectric layer opposite the lower electrode, the patterned dielectric layer and the patterned upper electrode being patterned to establish a first current flow path between the lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode and to establish a second current flow path between portions of the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the portions of the patterned upper electrode. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a substrate;
a lower electrode on the substrate;
a patterned dielectric layer on the lower electrode opposite the substrate; and
a patterned upper electrode on the patterned dielectric layer opposite the lower electrode, the patterned dielectric layer and the patterned upper electrode being patterned to establish a first current flow path between the lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode and to establish a second current flow path between portions of the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the portions of the patterned upper electrode;
wherein the lower electrode is an unpatterned lower electrode.
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22. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a substrate;
a lower electrode on the substrate;
a patterned dielectric layer on the lower electrode opposite the substrate; and
a patterned upper electrode on the patterned dielectric layer opposite the lower electrode, the patterned dielectric layer and the patterned upper electrode being patterned to establish a first current flow path between the lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode and to establish a second current flow path between portions of the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the portions of the patterned upper electrode;
wherein the patterned upper electrode includes a plurality of spaced apart fingers, the patterned dielectric layer and the patterned upper electrode being patterned to establish the first current flow path between the lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, and the second current flow path between adjacent fingers of the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between adjacent fingers of the patterned upper electrode and between the fingers of the patterned upper electrode and the lower electrode.
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23. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a substrate;
a patterned lower electrode on the substrate;
a patterned dielectric layer on the patterned lower electrode opposite the substrate; and
a patterned upper electrode on the patterned dielectric layer opposite the patterned lower electrode, the patterned dielectric layer and the patterned upper electrode being patterned to establish a first current flow path between the patterned lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the patterned lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode and to establish a second current flow path between portions of the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the portions of the patterned upper electrode;
wherein the patterned upper electrode and the patterned lower electrode both include a plurality of spaced apart fingers, the patterned dielectric layer, the patterned lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode being patterned to establish the first current flow path between the patterned lower electrode and the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, the second current flow path between adjacent fingers of the patterned upper electrode through the chemical, if present, and a third current flow path between adjacent fingers of the patterned lower electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the adjacent fingers of the patterned lower electrode, between adjacent fingers of the patterned upper electrode and between adjacent fingers of the patterned upper and lower electrodes.
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24. A chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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a substrate;
a lower electrode on the substrate;
an upper electrode on the lower electrode opposite the substrate and spaced apart from the lower electrode; and
means for establishing a first current flow path between the lower electrode and the upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the lower electrode and the upper electrode and for establishing a second current flow path between portions of the upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the portions of the upper electrode. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of fabricating a chemical sensor that senses a chemical, comprising:
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forming a flexible lower electrode on a flexible substrate;
forming a flexible dielectric layer on the flexible lower electrode opposite the flexible substrate;
forming a patterned flexible upper electrode on the flexible dielectric layer opposite the flexible lower electrode; and
patterning the flexible dielectric layer using the patterned flexible upper electrode as a mask to establish a current flow path between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of fabricating a plurality of chemical sensors that sense a chemical, comprising:
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forming a series of laterally spaced apart flexible lower electrodes on a flexible substrate;
forming a flexible dielectric layer on the series of laterally spaced apart flexible lower electrodes opposite the flexible substrate;
forming a series of patterned flexible upper electrodes on the dielectric layer, a respective one of which is opposite a respective one of the series of flexible lower electrodes; and
patterning the flexible dielectric layer using the series of patterned flexible upper electrodes as a mask to establish a current flow path between a respective flexible lower electrode and a respective patterned flexible upper electrode through the chemical, if present, upon application of voltage between the flexible lower electrode and the patterned flexible upper electrode. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method of sensing a chemical using a chemical sensor that includes a substrate, a patterned lower electrode on the substrate, a patterned dielectric layer on the lower electrode opposite the substrate and a patterned upper electrode on the patterned dielectric layer opposite the lower electrode, the method comprising:
applying voltage between adjacent portions of the patterned upper electrode, between adjacent portions of the patterned lower electrode and between adjacent portions of the patterned upper and lower electrodes, while the chemical sensor is potentially exposed to the chemical. - View Dependent Claims (46)
Specification