Field-effect transistor device or sensor for sensing ions, molecules or biomarkers in a fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12474294-B2
Application number	US-201917254556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Jun 22, 2018
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns a Field-Effect Transistor device or sensor comprising at least one drain region, at least one source region, at least a channel region, at least a first gate connected to the channel region, at least one stack comprising at least one metal layer or metal extension and at least one via layer or via extension; or a plurality of alternating (i) metal layers or metal extensions and (ii) via layers or via extensions, at least one second gate or second layer connected to the at least one first gate by the at least one stack, the at least one second gate or second layer permitting sensing of ions, and/or molecules and/or biomarkers, and at least one microfluidic channel or structure connected to or provided on the at least one second gate or second layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A Field-Effect Transistor (FET) device configured to sense at least one of ions, molecules and biomarkers in a liquid, the Field-Effect transistor device comprising:
at least one substrate; at least one drain region; at least one source region; at least one channel region extending between the at least one drain region and the at least one source region; at least a first gate connected to the channel region to control a current in the channel region; at least one stack comprising at least one layer comprising metal and at least one via layer; at least one second gate connected to the at least one first gate by the at least one stack, the at least one second gate permitting sensing of at least one of ions, molecules, and biomarkers; at least one microfluidic channel connected to the at least one second gate, the at least one microfluidic channel comprising at least one floor and at least one side wall extending from the at least one floor; and at least one superposed layer surrounding the at least one layer comprising metal and the at least one via layer of the at least one stack and surrounding the at least one second gate, the at least one superposed layer extending from the at least one stack and the at least one second gate to form the at least one microfluidic channel, the at least one microfluidic channel extending in a plane parallel to a plane defined by the at least one substrate to define a microfluidic channel network to distribute the liquid to different locations on the Field-Effect Transistor (FET) device, wherein the at least one microfluidic channel includes at least one entrance aperture to receive the liquid via capillary action, the at least one entrance aperture being in fluid communication with the microfluidic channel network to distribute the liquid through the microfluidic channel network via capillary action, and wherein the at least one microfluidic channel includes at least one exit aperture to evacuate the liquid, the at least one exit aperture being in fluid communication with the microfluidic channel network to receive the liquid from the microfluidic channel network and the at least one exit aperture being in fluid communication with the at least one entrance aperture to receive the liquid from the at least one entrance aperture.

2 . The FET device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensing material or probe layer, or wherein the at least one second gate defines the sensing material or probe layer.

3 . The FET device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensing material or probe layer located on the at least one second gate to render the FET device sensitive to specific biological.

4 . The FET device according to claim 3 , further including a noble metal between the at least one second gate and the sensing material or probe layer.

5 . The FET device according to claim 1 , further including a protection material located on the at least one side wall or on at least one outer surface of the at least one microfluidic channel to protect device circuitry.

6 . The FET device according to claim 1 , further comprising an add-on structure configured to confine the liquid under test in the at least one microfluidic channel.

7 . The FET device according to claim 6 , wherein the add-on structure and the microfluidic channel are configured to define the microfluidic channel network and distribute the liquid by capillarity or capillary action to different locations on the FET device or on a die comprising the FET device.

8 . The FET device according to claim 7 , wherein the add-on structure and the microfluidic channel are configured to collect the liquid by capillarity or capillary action from a surface of an external object in proximity to or in contact with the FET device.

9 . The FET device according to claim 1 , further comprising a reference electrode to set a bias voltage.

10 . The FET device according to claim 9 , wherein the reference electrode comprises a miniaturized-reference electrode integrated on-chip or on-device, or a miniaturized quasi reference electrode integrated on-chip or on-device.

11 . The FET device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one metal layer or metal extension and at least one via layer or via extension defining the at least one side wall of the at least one microfluidic channel.

12 . The FET device according to claim 11 , further comprising a noble metal located on the at least one side wall, or located between the at least one side wall and a sensing material or probe layer.

13 . The FET device according to claim 10 , wherein the miniaturized-reference electrode integrated on-chip, or the miniaturized quasi reference electrode integrated on-chip is located on or sitting on top of a passivation layer, an inter-metal dielectric layer, an etched portion of an inter-metal dielectric layer, one of the metal layers, one of the VIA layers, or a contact layer.

14 . The FET device according to claim 11 , wherein the miniaturized-reference electrode integrated on-chip or on-device, or the miniaturized quasi reference electrode integrated on-chip or on-device is configured to form an electrical contact with a device sensing surface through a conductive liquid present in the at least one microfluidic channel.

15 . The FET device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one microfluidic channel is sealed with a sealing material, the at least one microfluidic channel including a plurality of entrance apertures and a plurality of exit apertures.

16 . A point-of-care or wearable device including the FET device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Ecole Polytechnique Fed Lausanne Epfl

Inventors

• Zhang Junrui
• Bellando Francesco
• Garcia Cordero Erick
• Ionescu Mihai Adrian

Classifications

• B01L2400/0406

  capillary forces · CPC title

• B01L2300/0636

  Integrated biosensor, microarrays · CPC title

• B01L3/50273

  characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids · CPC title

• B01L3/502715

  characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces · CPC title

• B82Y15/00

  Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors · CPC title