Sensors, methods of making and devices

• US 9,835,595 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2014
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zomedica Biotechnologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Webster, James Russell, Schiller, Peter J., Van Deusen, Richard Allan, Harmon, Ian Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sines, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US14/893,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20160116444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 422 8201, 422 681, 422 98, 436 43, 436518, 436524, 436525, 436149
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/06 characterised by the deposition of metallic material
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45525 Atomic layer deposition [ALD]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/014 Resonance or resonant frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0255 (Bio)chemical reactions, e.g. on biosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0256 Adsorption, desorption, surface mass change, e.g. on biosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0257 with a layer containing at least one organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0426 Bulk waves, e.g. quartz crystal microbalance, torsional waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/022 Fluid sensors based on microsensors, e.g. quartz crystal-microbalance [QCM], surface acoustic wave [SAW] devices, tuning forks, cantilevers, flexural plate wave [FPW] devices microdevices per se B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/036 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2437 Piezoelectric probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/30 Arrangements for calibrating or comparing, e.g. with standard objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings

Abstract

Disclosed sensors can include at least one resonator (in some embodiments, at least two resonators) and various other structures that may be formed in association with the resonators. The at least one resonator in embodiments can include a bottom electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a top electrode, wherein the piezoelectric layer is positioned between the bottom electrode and the top electrode.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

at least a first resonator, the at least first resonator having a first surface and an opposing second surface and the first resonator comprising;

a bottom electrode;

a piezoelectric layer; and

a top electrode,

wherein the piezoelectric layer is positioned between the bottom electrode and the top electrode;

a metal oxide layer positioned on at least the second surface of the first resonator, the metal oxide layer having a thickness from about 10 Å

to about 500 Å and

the metal oxide layer comprising oxygen atoms;

a coupling layer comprising silicon atoms, the silicon atoms of the coupling layer bound to oxygen atoms in the metal oxide layer; and

a molecular recognition component layer, the molecular recognition layer comprising molecular recognition components and the molecular recognition components bound to the coupling layer.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising at least a second resonator.

3. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein the at least the first and second resonators are electrically connected in series.

4. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein the at least first and second resonators have substantially the same shape.

5. The sensor according to claim 4, wherein the at least first and second resonators have substantially semicircular shapes.

6. The sensor according to claim 4, wherein the at least first and second resonators have substantially rectangular shapes.

7. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer is selected from TiO₂, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, or ZnO.

8. The sensor according to claim 1 wherein the metal oxide layer has a thickness from about 75 Å

to about 125 Å

.

9. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer is deposited using atomic layer deposition.

10. The sensor according to claim 9, wherein the metal oxide layer is deposited over the entirety of the sensor.

11. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the coupling layer comprises an epoxy silane.

12. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the molecular recognition component is an antibody.

13. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises a Bragg reflector stack positioned beneath the bottom electrode of at least the first resonator.