Process and device for emulating a counter-electrode in a monolithically integrated electrochemical analysis system
First Claim
1. A sensor array, comprising:
- at least three electrodes forming a pixel arrangement, designed as biosensor arrangements for detection of biomolecules;
a potentiostat circuit; and
a switching unit, designed such that at least one of the at least three electrodes is selectively connected as a working electrode, which is coupled to an electrolytic analyte, the other electrodes of the at least three electrodes being connected as an opposing electrode, wherein each of the at least three electrodes can be alternatively connected as the working electrode or as the opposing electrode by the switching unit and the opposing electrode is exclusively formed by the other electrodes of the at least three electrodes of the pixel arrangement, not selected as the working electrode, and connected as the opposing electrode, the at least three electrodes being designed such that sensor events take place at an electrode, connected as the working electrode, of the at least three electrodes in an electrolyte solution when in the presence of the electrolytic analyte, wherein the sensor array is monolithically integrated at least one of in and on a substrate and wherein the switching unit deactivates an operating circuit of the selected working electrode and connects the selected working electrode to the selected opposing electrode via the potentiostat circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor array with at least three electrodes and a switching unit is disclosed, as well as a process for operating such a sensor array for implementing an electrochemical analysis process. The at least three electrodes can be selectively switched as counter-electrodes or as a working electrode which can be electrically coupled to an electrolytic analyte. The at least three electrodes are set up in such a way that sensor events occur at an electrode switched as working electrode in the electrolyte solution, in the presence of the electrolytic analyte. The electrodes which are not required as working electrodes at a particular point in time for detecting the electrolytic analyte can thus be switched together to form the counter-electrode of the sensor array, thus dispensing with the need for a separate counter-electrode.
10 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sensor array, comprising:
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at least three electrodes forming a pixel arrangement, designed as biosensor arrangements for detection of biomolecules; a potentiostat circuit; and a switching unit, designed such that at least one of the at least three electrodes is selectively connected as a working electrode, which is coupled to an electrolytic analyte, the other electrodes of the at least three electrodes being connected as an opposing electrode, wherein each of the at least three electrodes can be alternatively connected as the working electrode or as the opposing electrode by the switching unit and the opposing electrode is exclusively formed by the other electrodes of the at least three electrodes of the pixel arrangement, not selected as the working electrode, and connected as the opposing electrode, the at least three electrodes being designed such that sensor events take place at an electrode, connected as the working electrode, of the at least three electrodes in an electrolyte solution when in the presence of the electrolytic analyte, wherein the sensor array is monolithically integrated at least one of in and on a substrate and wherein the switching unit deactivates an operating circuit of the selected working electrode and connects the selected working electrode to the selected opposing electrode via the potentiostat circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for operation of a sensor array which is monolithically integrated at least one of in and on a substrate in an electrochemical analysis method, wherein the sensor array includes at least three electrodes forming a pixel arrangement, a majority of the at least three electrodes being designed as a biosensor arrangements for detection of biomolecules, a potentiostat circuit, and includes a switching unit designed such that at least one of the at least three electrodes is selectively connected as a working electrode and the other electrodes of the at least three electrodes are connected as an opposing electrode, and wherein each of the at least three electrodes can be alternatively connected as the working electrode or as the opposing electrodes can be alternatively connected as the working electrode or as the opposing electrode by the switching unit and the opposing electrode is exclusively formed by the other electrodes of the at least three electrodes of the pixel arrangement connected as the opposing electrode, and the at least three electrodes are designed such that sensor events take place at one electrode, connected as the working electrode, of the at least three electrodes in an electrolyte solution when in presence of an electrolytic analyte, the method comprising:
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(a) connecting at least two electrodes, of the at least three electrodes, to the opposing electrode connection of the potentiostat circuit, thus providing the opposing electrode of the sensor array monolithically integrated at least one of in and on the substrate; (b) connecting at least one electrode of the at least three electrodes, as a working electrode for detection of the electrolytic analyte; (c) connecting, after detection of the electrolytic analyte at the working electrode in (b), at least one of the at least three electrodes as a working electrode for detection of an electrolytic analyte; (d) connecting at least one of the at least three electrodes according to (a) as an opposing electrode; and (e) repeating steps (a) to (d) as often as required; wherein, before step (e) the switching unit deactivates an operating circuit of the selected working electrode and connects the selected working electrode to the selected opposing electrode via the potentiostat circuit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification