Chemical sensor array having multiple sensors per well

• US 8,692,298 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rothberg, Jonathan M., Hinz, Wolfgang, Johnson, Kim L., Bustillo, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, J. Christopher
• Application Number:
  US13/889,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20130244908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 257/253, 205/789, 205/792, 205/793.5, 422 8201- 8203, 435/6, 435/285.1, 435/287.1, 435/287.2, 436103-105, 436/150, 436/182, 506/1, 506/9
• US Class Current: 257/253
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6869 Methods for sequencing
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6874 involving nucleic acid arrays, e.g. sequencing by hybridisation
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2533/101 Primer extension
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/301 Pyrophosphate (PPi)
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/607 being a sensor, e.g. electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/414 Ion-sensitive or chemical field-effect transistors, i.e. ISFETS or CHEMFETS
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4145 specially adapted for biomolecules, e.g. gate electrode with immobilised receptors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4148 Integrated circuits therefor, e.g. fabricated by CMOS processing CMOS processing per se H01L21/82
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/306 Chemical or electrical treatment, e.g. electrolytic etching to form insulating layers H01L21/31
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04105 Bonding areas formed on an encapsulation of the semiconductor or solid-state body, e.g. bonding areas on chip-scale packages
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/76155 Jetting means, e.g. ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/82102 using jetting, e.g. ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/18 High density interconnect [HDI] connectors; Manufacturing methods related thereto interconnection structure between a plurality of semiconductor chips H01L23/5389
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/20 Structure, shape, material or disposition of high density interconnect preforms
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/82 by forming build-up interconnects at chip-level, e.g. for high density interconnects [HDI] interconnection structure between a plurality of semiconductor chips H01L23/5389
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/088 the components being field-effect transistors with insulated gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78 with field effect produced by an insulated gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01011 : Sodium [Na]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01012 : Magnesium [Mg]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 : Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0102 : Calcium [Ca]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01023 : Vanadium [V]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01024 : Chromium [Cr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 : Cobalt [Co]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0103 : Zinc [Zn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01046 : Palladium [Pd]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01052 : Tellurium [Te]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01056 : Barium [Ba]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01059 : Praseodymium [Pr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01073 : Tantalum [Ta]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1306 : Field-effect transistor [FET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1433 : Application-specific integrated circuit [ASIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 : being a resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30105 : Capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding

Abstract

Methods and apparatus relating to very large scale FET arrays for analyte measurements. ChemFET (e.g., ISFET) arrays may be fabricated using conventional CMOS processing techniques based on improved FET pixel and array designs that increase measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and at the same time facilitate significantly small pixel sizes and dense arrays. Improved array control techniques provide for rapid data acquisition from large and dense arrays. Such arrays may be employed to detect a presence and/or concentration changes of various analyte types in a wide variety of chemical and/or biological processes. In one example, chemFET arrays facilitate DNA sequencing techniques based on monitoring changes in hydrogen ion concentration (pH), changes in other analyte concentration, and/or binding events associated with chemical processes relating to DNA synthesis.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a material defining at least one reaction chamber;

a plurality of chemically-sensitive field effect transistors, each chemically-sensitive field effect transistor of the plurality having respective floating gate structures in communication with the at least one reaction chamber; and

a circuit to obtain at least one output signal from at least one of the chemically-sensitive field effect transistors indicating an analyte within the at least one reaction chamber.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the respective floating gate structures of the chemically-sensitive field effect transistors are individually coupled to the at least one reaction chamber.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the respective floating gate structures are separated from another by dielectric material.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the respective floating gate structures each include a plurality of conductors electrically coupled to one another and separated by dielectric layers.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the floating gate structures of the chemically-sensitive field effect transistors are coupled to a bottom surface of the at least one reaction chamber.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of chemically-sensitive field effect transistors includes at least four chemically-sensitive field effect transistors.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the analyte is due to a chemical reaction occurring within the at least one reaction chamber.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the chemical reaction is a sequencing reaction.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one output signal is based on a threshold voltage of the at least one chemically-sensitive field effect transistor.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one output signal is based on a voltage at a terminal of the at least one chemically-sensitive field effect transistor.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one output signal indicates an ion concentration within the at least one reaction chamber.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a microfluidic structure in fluid flow communication with the at least one reaction chamber.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the respective floating gate structures are coupled to the at least one reaction chamber via a passivation layer.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the passivation layer is sensitive to ions.