Acoustic wave sensor apparatus, method and system using wide bandgap materials

• US 6,848,295 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wayne State University
• Original Assignee: Wayne State University
• Inventors: Shreve, Gina, Zhong, Feng, Auner, Gregory W., Ying, Hao, Hughes, Chantelle
• Primary Examiner(s): CYGAN, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US10/125,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20030196477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 73/240.1, 73/240.6, 73/240.3, 73/240.4, 73/240.5, 310/313.R, 310313 A-313 D
• US Class Current: 73/24.06
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0255 (Bio)chemical reactions, e.g. on biosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0256 Adsorption, desorption, surface mass change, e.g. on biosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0422 Shear waves, transverse waves, horizontally polarised waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0423 Surface waves, e.g. Rayleigh waves, Love waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/022 Fluid sensors based on microsensors, e.g. quartz crystal-microbalance [QCM], surface acoustic wave [SAW] devices, tuning forks, cantilevers, flexural plate wave [FPW] devices microdevices per se B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/226 Handheld or portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2418 using optoacoustic interaction with the material, e.g. laser radiation, photoacoustics photoacoustic cells G01N21/1702; measuring characteristics of vibrations by using radiation-sensitive means G01H9/00; acousto-optical conversion techniques for short-range imaging G01S15/8965; sound-producing devices using laser bundle G10K15/046
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2437 Piezoelectric probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/34 Generating the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves , e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/855 Coating only part of a support with a magnetic layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 1/009 bidimensional, e.g. nanoscale period nanomagnet arrays H01F10/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02631 Physical deposition at reduced pressure, e.g. MBE, sputtering, evaporation

Abstract

An acoustic wave sensor to detect an analyte, the sensor comprising a piezoelectric material including a wide bandgap semiconductor material grown using plasma source molecular beam epitaxy.

Claims

1. An acoustic wave sensor to detect an analyte, comprising:

a piezoelectric material including a wide bandgap semiconductor material grown using plasma source molecular beam epitaxy;

a micro-machined arrangement having a resonating frequency; and

an immobilization layer traversing the micro-machined arrangement, the layer containing a binding site to allow a target structure of the analyte to bind to the micro-machined arrangement so as to chance the resonating frequency,

wherein the immobilization layer includes a chemical linker and wherein the chemical linker is p-maleimidophenyl isocyanate.

2. An acoustic wave sensor to detect an analyte, comprising:

a piezoelectric material including a wide bandgap semiconductor material grown using plasma source molecular beam epitaxy;

a micro-machined arrangement having a resonating frequency;

an immobilization layer traversing the micro-machined arrangement, the layer containing a binding site to allow a target structure of the analyte to bind to the micro-machined arrangement so as to change the resonating frequency;

a laser diode arrangement capable of high frequency modulation to generate a pulsed laser light;

a waveguide arrangement to transport the pulsed laser light; and

a carbon implanted region to receive the pulsed laser light and to provide a bulk wave to the micro-machined arrangement.

3. The acoustic wave sensor of claim 2, wherein the waveguide arrangement is fabricated using a wide bandgap semiconductor material using plasma source molecular beam epitaxy.

4. The acoustic wave sensor of claim 3, wherein the waveguide arrangement includes aluminum nitride.

5. The acoustic wave sensor of claim 2, further comprising an array of waveguide arrangements.

6. The acoustic wave sensor of claim 2, wherein the sensor includes a photonic waveguide coupling to reduce noise and cross-talk at a high frequency.

7. An acoustic wave sensor to detect an analyte, comprising:

a piezoelectric material including a wide bandgap semiconductor material grown using plasma source molecular beam epitaxy;

a micro-machined arrangement having a resonating frequency; and

an immobilization layer traversing the micro-machined arrangement, the layer containing a binding site to allow a target structure of the analyte to bind to the micro-machined arrangement so as to change the resonating frequency,

wherein the sensor is operable to detect 5 molecules of 100,000 daltons.

8. An acoustic wave sensor to detect an analyte, comprising:

a piezoelectric material including a wide bandgap semiconductor material grown using plasma source molecular beam epitaxy;

a micro-machined arrangement having a resonating frequency; and

an immobilization layer traversing the micro-machined arrangement, the layer containing a binding site to allow a target structure of the analyte to bind to the micro-machined arrangement so as to change the resonating frequency,

wherein the sensor is operable to detect a binding of a monolayer of oxygen to less than 1% of a 100 μ

m×

100 μ

m surface area of the sensor.

9. A method for operating an acoustic wave sensor, comprising:

generating an acoustic wave;

directing the acoustic wave to transverse a micro-machined arrangement;

detecting a resonating frequency of the micro-machined arrangement;

determining a presence of an analyte based on the detected resonating frequency, wherein the analyte contains a target structure that binds to an immobilization layer of the micro-machined arrangement;

providing a laser light from a laser diode via a waveguide arrangement; and

receiving the laser light in a carbon-implanted region.

10. An acoustic wave sensor to detect an analyte, comprising:

a piezoelectric material including a wide bandgap semiconductor material grown using plasma source molecular beam epitaxy;

a micro-machined arrangement having a resonating frequency; and

an immobilization layer traversing the micro-machined arrangement, the layer containing a binding site to allow a target structure of the analyte to bind to the micro-machined arrangement so as to change the resonating frequency, wherein;

the micro-machined arrangement includes a wide bandgap semiconductor material;

the sensor is operable in a surface acoustic mode;

the sensor is operable in a surface transverse mode;

the sensor is operable in a liquid medium and maintains a high sensitivity without a severe attenuation;

the immobilization layer includes a chemical linker; and

the chemical linker is p-maleimidophenyl isocyanate.