Method for creating a functional interface between a nanoparticle, nanotube or nanowire, and a biological molecule or system

• US 7,692,218 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2003
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NewCyte, Inc. (Natcore Technology, Inc.), Rice University
• Original Assignee: New CYTE Incorporated, Rice University
• Inventors: Anderson, Robin E., Scott, Graham B. I., Whitsitt, Elizabeth A., Barron, Andrew R., Flood, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Jr.; Jerome
• Application Number:
  US10/534,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20060145194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,330 Days
• Field of Search: 257/253
• US Class Current: 257/253
• 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 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/15 Nano-sized carbon materials
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/156 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4146 involving nanosized elements, e.g. nanotubes, nanowires
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/551 the carrier being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0665 the shape of the body defining a nanostructure nanotechnology per se B82B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0673 oriented parallel to a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0676 oriented perpendicular or at an angle to a substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/80 with field effect produced by a PN or other rectifying junction gate , i.e. potential-jump barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/46 Field-effect transistors, e.g. organic thin-film transistors [OTFT] H10K10/43 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/225 comprising substituents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/936 in a transistor or 3-terminal device

Abstract

A field effect transistor and a method for making the same. In one embodiment, the field effect transistor comprises a source; a drain; a gate; at least one carbon nanotube on the gate; and a dielectric layer that coats the gate and a portion of the at least one carbon nanotube, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube has an exposed portion that is not coated with the dielectric layer, and wherein the exposed portion is functionalized with at least one indicator molecule. In other embodiments, the field effect transistor is a biochem-FET.

Claims

1. A field effect transistor comprising:

a source;

a drain;

a gate;

a dielectric layer that coats the gate; and

at least one carbon nanotube disposed at least partially in said dielectric layer, said at least one carbon nanotube having a portion which is functionalized with at least one indicator molecule that is exposed from the dielectric layer, the at least one carbon nanotube being on the gate for transmitting charge from the at least one indicator molecule to the gate.

2. The field effect transistor of claim 1, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube is a single-walled carbon nanotube.

3. The field effect transistor of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silica.

4. The field effect transistor of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer coats the source and the drain.

5. The field effect transistor of claim 1, wherein the indicator molecule is a DNA oligo.

6. The field effect transistor of claim 5, wherein the DNA oligo is specific for a DNA sequence.

7. The field effect transistor of claim 1, wherein the indicator molecule is a polypeptide.

8. The field effect transistor of claim 1, wherein the field effect transistor is a biochem-FET.

9. A method for making a transistor, comprising:

(A) providing a field effect transistor comprising a source, a gate, and a drain, wherein at least one nanotube is on the gate;

(B) coating the at least one nanotube and the gate with a dielectric layer;

(C) etching a portion of the dielectric layer to provide an exposed nanotube portion; and

(D) functionalizing the exposed nanotube portion so that the at least one carbon nanotube is effective to transmit charge from the functionalized nanotube portion to the gate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transistor is a biochem-FET.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein step (A) further comprises growing the at least one nanotube to provide the at least one nanotube on the gate.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein step (A) further comprises attaching the at least one nanotube to the gate to provide the at least one nanotube on the gate.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein step (B) is accomplished by liquid phase deposition.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein step (B) further comprises coating the source and the drain.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silica.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein step (C) is accomplished by HF.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein step (D) is accomplished by chemical functionalization.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein chemical functionalization comprises hydroxylation.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein functionalizing the exposed nanotube portion of step (D) comprises attaching at least one indicator molecule to the exposed nanotube portion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one indicator molecule is chemically sensitive and interacts with at least one target molecule.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the indicator molecule comprises a DNA oligo.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the DNA oligo is specific for a target molecule comprising a DNA sequence.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the indicator molecule comprises a polypeptide.

24. A biochem-FET, comprising:

a FET having a gate;

a dielectric layer that coats the gate; and

at least one carbon nanotube disposed at least partially in said dielectric layer, said at least one carbon nanotube having a portion which is functionalized with at least one indicator molecule that is exposed from the dielectric layer,

the at least one carbon nanotube being on the gate for transmitting charge from the at least one indicator molecule to the gate.

25. The biochem-FET of claim 24, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube is a single-walled carbon nanotube.

26. The biochem-FET of claim 24, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silica.

27. The biochem-FET of claim 24, wherein the at least one indicator molecule comprises a DNA oligo.

28. The biochem-FET of claim 27, wherein the DNA oligo is specific for a target molecule comprising a DNA sequence.

29. The biochem-FET of claim 24, wherein the at least one indicator molecule comprises a polypeptide.

30. A biochem-FET array, comprising:

a plurality of biochem-FETs wherein each biochem-FET comprises

a FET having a gate;

a dielectric layer that coats the gate;

at least one carbon nanotube;

disposed at least partially in said dielectric layer, said at least one carbon nanotube having a portion which is functionalized with at least one indicator molecule that is exposed from the dielectric layer, the at least one carbon nanotube being on the gate for transmitting charge from the at least one indicator molecule to the gate.

31. The biochem-FET array of claim 30, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube is a single-walled carbon nanotube.

32. The biochem-FET array of claim 30, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silica.

33. The biochem-FET array of claim 30, wherein the at least one indicator molecule comprises a DNA oligo.

34. The biochem-FET array of claim 33, wherein the DNA oligo is specific for a target molecule comprising a DNA sequence.

35. The biochem-FET array of claim 30, wherein the at least one indicator molecule comprises a polypeptide.

36. The biochem-FET array of claim 30, wherein the substrate comprises silicon.