Techniques and systems for analyte detection

• US 7,550,310 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Grubbs, Robert H., Payne, Richard S., Goodman, Rodney M., Koosh, Vincent F., Dickson, Jeffery, Lewis, Nathan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Menz; Douglas M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Such; Matthew W
• Application Number:
  US11/439,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 257252-253, 257/414, 438/1, 438/6, 438/49, 438/99, 438/626, 438631-634, 438645-646, 438648-651, 438/800, 438/939
• US Class Current: 438/49
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/126 comprising organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/128 Microapparatus
• 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 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array

Abstract

Techniques are used to detect and identify analytes. Techniques are used to fabricate and manufacture sensors to detect analytes. An analyte (810) is sensed by sensors (820) that output electrical signals in response to the analyte. The electrical signals may be preprocessed (830) by filtering and amplification. In one embodiment, a plurality of sensors are formed on a single integrated circuit. The sensors may have diverse compositions.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a sensing device comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having a conductor on the substrate;

forming a contact to the conductor;

forming a first insulating layer on an integrated circuit device that comprises the semiconductor substrate having the contact to the conductor formed thereon;

planarizing the integrated circuit device exposing the contact, to thereby form a planarized integrated circuit device; and

depositing a sensing material on the planarized integrated circuit device, wherein the sensing material is in electrical contact with the contact,

wherein the depositing further comprises;

depositing conductive particles on the planarized integrated circuit device; and

covering the conductive particles with a nonconductive organic material.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising covering the contact with a noble metal coating.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the contact comprises tungsten.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the covering comprises performing a vapor deposition on the integrated circuit device.

5. A method of fabricating a sensing device comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having a conductor on the substrate;

forming a contact to the conductor;

forming a first insulating layer on an integrated circuit device that comprises the semiconductor substrate having the contact to the conductor formed thereon;

planarizing the integrated circuit device exposing the contact, to thereby form a planarized integrated circuit device; and

depositing a sensing material on the planarized integrated circuit device, wherein the sensing material is in electrical contact with the contact,

wherein the sensing material comprises a sacrificial particle filler.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising removing the sacrificial particle filler after deposition of the sensing material.