Array configuration and readout scheme

• US 8,731,847 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Johnson, Kim, Jordan, Jeremy, Levine, Peter, Milgrew, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US13/174,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20120022795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 702/31
• US Class Current: 702/31
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6869 Methods for sequencing
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/46 using a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4143 Air gap between gate and channel, i.e. suspended gate [SG] FETs work function measurement per se G01N27/002
• 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: G01N 33/00 Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/26 Measuring noise figure; Measuring signal-to-noise ratio
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14609 Pixel-elements with integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements scanning details of imagers (circuitry of solid-state image sensors H04N25/00); circuitry of imagers H04N25/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14632 Wafer-level processed structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14643 Photodiode arrays; MOS imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66 Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25875 Gaseous sample or with change of physical state

Abstract

The described embodiments may provide a chemical detection circuit that may comprise a plurality of first output circuits at a first side and a plurality of second output circuits at a second side of the chemical detection circuit. The chemical detection circuit may further comprise a plurality of tiles of pixels each placed between respective pairs of first and second output circuits. Each tile may include four quadrants of pixels. Each quadrant may have columns with designated first columns interleaved with second columns. Each first column may be coupled to a respective first output circuit in first and second quadrants, and to a respective second output circuit in third and fourth quadrants. Each second column may be coupled to a respective second output circuit in first and second quadrants, and to a respective first output circuit in third and fourth quadrants.

Claims

1. A method for operating a chemical detection device comprising an array of chemical sensors arranged in rows and columns, the method comprising:

exposing chemical sensors in the array to an analyte;

enabling a row of chemical sensors in the array, the row including a plurality of first groups of chemical sensors interleaved with a plurality of second groups of chemical sensors;

selecting a first group of the plurality of first groups of chemical sensors and a second group of the plurality of second groups of chemical sensors; and

concurrently acquiring output signals from the selected first group of the plurality of first groups of chemical sensors via a first column output circuit, and from the selected second group of the plurality of second groups of chemical sensors via a second column output circuit,

wherein the first groups and the second groups are arranged in an alternating fashion, so that adjacent first groups of chemical sensors are separated by a single second group of the plurality of second groups, and adjacent second groups of chemical sensors are separated by a single first group of the plurality of first groups.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the steps of selecting and acquiring for remaining groups of the plurality of first groups and the plurality of second groups.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected first group is adjacent to the selected second group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the row of chemical sensors is enabled for a first time interval, the output signals from the row of chemical sensors are obtained for a second time interval, and further comprising enabling an additional row of chemical sensors during the second time interval.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical sensors comprise chemically-sensitive field effect transistors.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the output signals are based on threshold voltages of the chemically-sensitive field effect transistors of the chemical sensors.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing chemical sensors in the array to the analyte comprises initiating at least one chemical reaction to produce the analyte.

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

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first column output circuit is at a first location on the chemical detection device, and the second column output circuit is at a second location on the chemical detection device and spaced away from the first column output circuit.