Process for biosensor well formation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10273536-B2
Application number	US-201615066117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2016
Priority date	Oct 23, 2013
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A biochip for molecular detection and sensing is disclosed. The biochip includes a substrate. The biochip includes a plurality of discrete sites formed on the substrate having a density of greater than five hundred wells per square millimeter. Each discrete site includes sidewalls disposed on the substrate to form a well. Each discrete site includes an electrode disposed at the bottom of the well. In some embodiments, the wells are formed such that cross-talk between the wells is reduced. In some embodiments, the electrodes disposed at the bottom of the wells are organized into groups of electrodes, wherein each group of electrodes shares a common counter electrode. In some embodiments, the electrode disposed at the bottom of the well has a dedicated counter electrode. In some embodiments, surfaces of the sidewalls are silanized such that the surfaces facilitate the forming of a membrane in or adjacent to the well.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A biochip, comprising: a substrate; and a plurality of discrete sites formed on the substrate having a density of greater than five hundred wells per square millimeter, wherein each discrete site includes: sidewalls disposed on the substrate to form a well; and an electrode disposed at the bottom of the well, wherein the electrodes are electrically isolated from each other, and wherein the sidewalls have a hard, planar top surface for a membrane to be formed atop.

2. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein the wells are formed such that cross-talk between the wells is reduced.

3. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein the electrode disposed at the bottom of the well derives most of its signal from a nanopore or a membrane nearest to the electrode.

4. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete sites comprises a plurality of electrodes in a plurality of wells that share a common counter electrode.

5. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete sites comprises a plurality of electrodes in a plurality of wells organized into groups that share a common counter electrode.

6. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein the electrode disposed at the bottom of the well has a dedicated counter electrode above the well.

7. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein surfaces of the sidewalls are silanized such that the surfaces facilitate the forming of a membrane in or adjacent to the well.

8. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein surfaces of the sidewalls are hydrophobic such that the surfaces facilitate the forming of a hydrophobic membrane in or adjacent to the well.

9. The biochip of claim 8 , wherein facilitating the forming of a membrane in or adjacent to the well comprises: facilitating the adhering of the membrane to the hydrophobic surfaces.

10. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein surfaces of the sidewalls are silanized by covering the sidewalls with a layer of organofunctional alkoxysilane molecules.

11. The biochip of claim 10 , wherein the layer of molecules is one molecule in thickness.

12. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein the membrane spans across and seals the well.

13. The biochip of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises a nanopore.

Assignees

• Genia Tech Inc
• Roche Molecular Systems Inc

Inventors

• Davis Randall W
• Liu Edward Shian
• Harada Eric Takeshi
• Aguirre Anne
• Trans Andrew
• Pollard James
• Cech Cynthia
• Tian Hui
• Yuan Robert
• Foster John
• Chen Roger

Classifications

• C12Q1/6869 Primary

  Methods for sequencing · CPC title

• G01N27/3278

  involving nanosized elements, e.g. nanogaps or nanoparticles (nanopores G01N33/48721; magnetic beads G01N27/745) · CPC title

• G01N27/3277

  being a redox reaction, e.g. detection by cyclic voltammetry (voltammetry per se G01N27/42, G01N27/48) · CPC title

• G01N33/48721

  Investigating individual macromolecules, e.g. by translocation through nanopores (Coulter counters in general G01N15/12; fabrication methods for nanoscale apertures B81B1/00; sequencing of nucleic acids C12Q1/68) · CPC title

• G01N27/44791

  Microapparatus (sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027) · CPC title