Nanostructure sensors and sensing systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10067006-B2
Application number	US-201414309605-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2014
Priority date	Jun 19, 2014
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

Various sensors and arrays of sensors that utilize nanostructures or carbon structures, such as nanotubes, nanotube meshes, or graphene sheets, are disclosed. In some arrangements, at least a pair of contacts are electrically coupled with a given nanostructure or carbon structure to sense a change.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A calorimetric sensor comprising:
a first electrical contact;
a second electrical contact spaced from the first electrical contact;
a first nanotube oriented between the first and second electrical contacts, the first nanotube being electrically coupled with each of the first and second electrical contacts;
a first reactor covalently coupled to the first nanotube, the first reactor comprising a molecule configured to chemically interact with a target material, wherein the reactor is configured to be returned to a pre-reaction state via heating of the first reactor;
a circuit coupled with the first and second electrical contacts, the circuit configured to reset the reactor via heating the first nanotube and reactor by passing a current through the first nanotube; and
a processor electrically coupled with the circuit, the processor configured to determine whether a reaction at the reaction site occurs based on a measured change in voltage across the first nanotube.

2. The calorimetric sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first nanotube comprises a carbon nanotube.

3. The calorimetric sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first nanotube comprises an inorganic nanotube.

4. The calorimetric sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first nanotube comprises a single-walled nanotube.

5. The calorimetric sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first nanotube comprises a multi-walled nanotube.

6. The calorimetric sensor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first set of wires electrically coupling the circuit to the first nanotube, the first set of wires configured to pass current through the first nanotube; and
a second set of wires electrically coupling the circuit to the first nanotube, the second set of wires configured to measure voltage across the first nanotube.

7. A calorimetric sensor comprising:
a first electrical contact;
a second electrical contact spaced from the first electrical contact;
a first nanotube oriented between the first and second electrical contacts, the first nanotube electrically coupled with each of the first and second electrical contacts;
a first reactor coupled to the first nanotube, the first reactor comprising a molecule configured to chemically interact with a target material; and
a circuit electrically coupled with the first and second electrical contacts;

wherein the circuit is configured to counteract a change in the resistance of the first nanotube so as to maintain the first nanotube at a constant resistance.

8. The calorimetric sensor of claim 7 , wherein the circuit comprises a feedback circuit, the feedback circuit configured to counteract a change in the resistance of the nanotube by controlling a current within the feedback circuit.

9. The calorimetric sensor of claim 8 , further comprising a processor electrically coupled with the circuit, the processor configured to determine a magnitude of a thermal change at the first reactor based on a magnitude of a change in the current within the feedback circuit used to maintain the nanotube at the constant resistance.

10. The calorimetric sensor of claim 7 , wherein the first reactor is resettable to a pre-reaction state.

11. The calorimetric sensor of claim 10 , wherein the first reactor is configured to be returned to a pre-reaction state via heating of the first reactor.

12. The calorimetric sensor of claim 11 , wherein the circuit is configured to reset the first reactor via heating the first nanotube and first reactor by passing a current through the first nanotube.

13. The calorimetric sensor of claim 7 , further comprising:
a third electrical contact;
a fourth electrical contact spaced from the third electrical contact;
a second nanotube oriented between the third and fourth electrical contacts, the second nanotube electrically coupled with each of the third and fourth electrical contacts; and
a second reactor coupled to the second nanotube, the second reactor comprising a molecule configured to chemically react with a target material;
wherein the circuit is coupled with the third and fourth electrical contacts, the circuit configured to counteract a change in the resistance of the second nanotube so as to maintain the second nanotube at a constant resistance.

14. The calorimetric sensor of claim 13 , wherein the circuit is configured to detect a thermal change at the first reactor based on a differential measurement of the first and second nanotubes.

15. The calorimetric sensor of claim 14 , wherein the differential measurement compares a resistance of the first nanotube with a resistance of the second nanotube.

16. The calorimetric sensor of claim 14 , wherein the differential measurement compares a current flow through the first nanotube with a current flow through the second nanotube.

17. The calorimetric sensor of claim 14 , wherein the differential measurement compares a voltage across the first and second electrical contacts with a voltage across the third and fourth electrical contacts.

18. A calorimetric sensor comprising:
a first electrical contact;
a second electrical contact spaced from the first electrical contact;
a first nanotube oriented between the first and second electrical contacts, the first nanotube electrically coupled with each of the first and second electrical contacts;
a first reactor coupled to the first nanotube, the first reactor comprising a molecule configured to chemically interact with a target material and configured to be returned to a pre-reaction state via heating of the first reactor; and
a circuit electrically coupled with the first and second electrical contacts;

wherein the circuit is configured to reset the reactor via heating the first nanotube and reactor by passing a current through the first nanotube.

19. The calorimetric sensor of claim 18 , further comprising:
a third electrical contact;
a fourth electrical contact spaced from the third electrical contact;
a second nanotube oriented between the third and fourth electrical contacts, the second nanotube electrically coupled with each of the third and fourth electrical contacts; and
a second reactor coupled to the second nanotube, the second reactor comprising a molecule configured to chemically react with a target material;
wherein the circuit is coupled with the third and fourth electrical contacts, the circuit configured to counteract a change in the resistance of the second nanotube so as to maintain the second nanotube at a constant resistance.

20. The calorimetric sensor of claim 19 , wherein the circuit is configured to detect a thermal change at the first reactor based on a differential measurement of the first and second nanotubes.

21. The calorimetric sensor of claim 20 , further comprising a processor electrically coupled with the circuit, the processor configured to determine a magnitude of a thermal change at the first reactor based on a differential measurement of the first and second nanotubes.

22. The calorimetric sensor of claim 21 , wherein the differential measurement compares a resistance of the first nanotube with a resistance of the second nanotube.

23. The calorimetric sensor of claim 21 , wherein the differential measurement compares a current flow through the first nanotube with a current flow through the second nanotube.

24. The calorimetric sensor of claim 21 , wherein the differential measurement compares a voltage across the first and second electrical contacts with a voltage acro

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Caldeira Kenneth G
• Hagelstein Peter L
• Hyde Roderick A
• Jung Edward K Y
• Kare Jordin T
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Pendry John Brian
• Schurig David
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Weaver Thomas Allan
• Whitmer Charles
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• G01K17/006 Primary

  Microcalorimeters, e.g. using silicon microstructures · CPC title