Sensor platform using a non-horizontally oriented nanotube element
First Claim
1. A sensor platform, comprising:
- a sensor element comprising at least one nanotube and having an electrical characterization;
a support structure, comprising a substrate, for supporting the sensor element so that it may be exposed to a fluid, and having a major surface of the substrate substantially non-parallel to the sensor element; and
control circuitry to electrically sense the electrical characterization of the sensor element so that the presence of a corresponding analyte may be detected,wherein the sensor element has an affinity for the corresponding analyte, and wherein the sensor element comprises a pristine nanotube.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sensor platforms and methods of making them are described. A platform having a non-horizontally oriented sensor element comprising one or more nanostructures such as nanotubes is described. Under certain embodiments, a sensor element has or is made to have an affinity for an analyte. Under certain embodiments, such a sensor element comprises one or more pristine nanotubes. Under certain embodiments, the sensor element comprises derivatized or functionalized nanotubes. Under certain embodiments, a sensor is made by providing a support structure; providing one or more nanotubes on the structure to provide material for a sensor element; and providing circuitry to electrically sense the sensor element'"'"'s electrical characterization. Under certain embodiments, the sensor element comprises pre-derivatized or pre-functionalized nanotubes. Under other embodiments, sensor material is derivatized or functionalized after provision on the structure or after patterning. Under certain embodiments, a large-scale array of sensor platforms includes a plurality of sensor elements.
91 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A sensor platform, comprising:
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a sensor element comprising at least one nanotube and having an electrical characterization; a support structure, comprising a substrate, for supporting the sensor element so that it may be exposed to a fluid, and having a major surface of the substrate substantially non-parallel to the sensor element; and control circuitry to electrically sense the electrical characterization of the sensor element so that the presence of a corresponding analyte may be detected, wherein the sensor element has an affinity for the corresponding analyte, and wherein the sensor element comprises a pristine nanotube.
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2. A sensor platform, comprising:
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a sensor element comprising at least one nanotube and having an electrical characterization; a support structure, comprising a substrate, for supporting the sensor element so that it may be exposed to a fluid, and having a major surface of the substrate substantially non-parallel to the sensor element; and control circuitry to electrically sense the electrical characterization of the sensor element so that the presence of a corresponding analyte may be detected, wherein the sensor element has an affinity for at least two analytes and wherein the sensor element comprises at least two types of nanotubes, a first type having an affinity for a first analyte and a second type having an affinity for a second analyte.
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3. A sensor platform, comprising:
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a sensor element comprising at least one nanotube and having an electrical characterization; a support structure, comprising a substrate, for supporting the sensor element so that it may be exposed to a fluid, and having a major surface of the substrate substantially non-parallel to the sensor element; and control circuitry to electrically sense the electrical characterization of the sensor element so that the presence of a corresponding analyte may be detected, wherein the support structure includes a channel and wherein the sensor element is suspended to span the channel, and wherein the support structure includes a first conductive electrode positioned, at least in part, in the channel, and wherein the sensor element is deflectable in response to the control circuitry to contact the electrode so that a gating effect of the nanotubes in the sensor element may be electrically detected. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A sensor platform, comprising:
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a sensor element comprising at least one nanotube and having an electrical characterization; a support structure, comprising a substrate, for supporting the sensor element so that it may be exposed to a fluid, and having a major surface of the substrate substantially non-parallel to the sensor element; control circuitry to electrically sense the electrical characterization of the sensor element so that the presence of a corresponding analyte may be detected; and a fluid separator in fluid communication with the sensor platform to deliver a fluid potentially having the analyte.
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7. A sensor platform, comprising:
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a sensor element comprising at least one nanotube and having an electrical characterization; a support structure, comprising a substrate, for supporting the sensor element so that it may be exposed to a fluid, and having a major surface of the substrate substantially non-parallel to the sensor element; and control circuitry to electrically sense the electrical characterization of the sensor element so that the presence of a corresponding analyte may be detected, wherein the sensor element is reusable in that, after exposure to the corresponding analyte, the sensor element can be substantially returned to its pre-exposure state by applying a voltage.
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8. A sensor platform, comprising:
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a sensor element comprising at least one nanotube and having an electrical characterization; a support structure, comprising a substrate, for supporting the sensor element so that it may be exposed to a fluid, and having a major surface of the substrate substantially non-parallel to the sensor element; and control circuitry to electrically sense the electrical characterization of the sensor element so that the presence of a corresponding analyte may be detected, wherein a first conductive element contacts the sensor element at a first point and a second conductive element contacts the sensor element at a second point so that an electric current can run through the sensor element between the first and second conductive elements, wherein the control circuitry comprises current-mirror circuitry to allow a resistance between the first and second contact points to be measured.
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9. A sensor platform, comprising
a sensor element comprising at least one nanotube and having an electrical characterization; -
a support structure, comprising a substrate, for supporting the sensor element so that it may be exposed to a fluid, and having a major surface of the substrate substantially non-parallel to the sensor element; and control circuitry to electrically sense the electrical characterization of the sensor element so that the presence of a corresponding analyte may be detected, wherein a first conductive element contacts the sensor element at a first point and a second conductive element contacts the sensor element at a second point so that an electric current can run through the sensor element between the first and second conductive elements, and wherein the control circuitry comprises a reference resistor to allow measurement relative to the resistance of the reference resistor of the resistance between the first and second contact points. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification