Systems and process for forming carbon nanotube sensors

• US 9,302,908 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgetown University
• Original Assignee: Georgetown University
• Inventors: Paranjape, Makarand, Zhou, Jianyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Karimy, Timor
• Application Number:
  US12/970,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20120153262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 257/24, 257/E51.04, 438/49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4145 specially adapted for biomolecules, e.g. gate electrode with immobilised receptors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/481 characterised by the gate conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/484 characterised by the channel regions
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/221 Carbon nanotubes

Abstract

A process for forming a functionalized sensor for sensing a molecule of interest includes providing at least one single or multi-wall carbon nanotube having a first and a second electrode in contact therewith on a substrate; providing a third electrode including a decorating material on the substrate a predetermined distance from the at least one single or multi-wall carbon nanotube having a first and a second electrode in contact therewith, wherein the decorating material has a bonding affinity for a bioreceptors that react with the molecule of interest; and applying a voltage to the third electrode, causing the decorating material to form nanoparticles of the decorating material on the at least one single or multi-wall carbon nanotube.

Claims

1. A process for forming a functionalized sensor for sensing a molecule of interest comprising:

providing at least one carbon nanotube having a first and a second electrode in contact therewith on a substrate;

providing a third, sacrificial electrode, including a decorating material, on the substrate, a predetermined distance from the at least one carbon nanotube having a first and a second electrode in contact therewith, wherein the decorating material has a bonding affinity for bioreceptors that react with the molecule of interest; and

applying a voltage to the third, sacrificial electrode, causing the decorating material to form nanoparticles of the decorating material on the at least one carbon nanotube via electrodeposition.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the third, sacrificial electrode is formed of a bilayer of Cr and Au.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the decorating material is Au.

4. The process of claim 2, wherein the bilayer of Cr and Au comprises an

approximately 25 Å

Cr layer and an approximately 800 Å

Au layer and is approximately 5 μ

m wide.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is approximately 5-20 μ

m from the first and second electrodes.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein a size and density of the nanoparticles is related to the applied voltage.

7. The process according to claim 1, further comprising passivating the substrate to reduce adsorption of the bioreceptors.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein passivating includes introducing a self assembled monolayer (SAM) of molecules to the substrate, wherein said molecules the SAM include a head group with an affinity for the substrate and a tail having protein resistivity.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the substrate is SiO₂ and said molecules comprise a methoxy-terminated polyethylene glycol (PEG).

10. The process of claim 1, further comprising binding the bioreceptors to the nanoparticles.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the bioreceptors are thiol-terminated glucose oxidase and the molecule of interest is glucose.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube is selected from the group consisting of single-wall carbon nanotubes and multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the third, sacrificial electrode is formed of a bilayer of Ti and Au.

14. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube is a network of carbon nanotubes.

15. The process according to claim 14, wherein the network of carbon nanotubes includes carbon nanotubes selected from the group consisting of single-wall carbon nanotubes and multi-wall carbon nanotubes.