Apparatus And Method For Detection And Quantification Of Biological And Chemical Analytes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017160232-A1
Application number	US-201415121958-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 25, 2014
Priority date	Aug 25, 2014
Publication date	Jun 8, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sensing device and a sensing method for operating the same are disclosed. An analytical sample is subjected to an electric field within a sample chamber using at least two electrodes. Initially, a holding voltage is provided such that the analyte in the analytical sample polarizes and diffuses towards one of the electrodes forming an electrode-electrolyte interface. Subsequently, a pulsating sweep voltage is provided across the two electrodes. A current-voltage profile and/or a capacitance-voltage profile of the analytical sample are determined. The analyte is identified and quantified based on the current-voltage profile and capacitance-voltage profile respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sensing method for identifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing method comprising:
supplying said analytical sample to a sample chamber, said sample chamber being at least partially delimited by a first electrode and a second electrode, providing a holding voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, whereby said analyte polarizes and diffuses towards one of said electrodes forming an electrode-electrolyte interface, providing a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes and determining a current-voltage profile of said analytical sample, and identifying said analyte based on said current-voltage profile.

2 . The method according to claim 1 further comprises determining a sample electrical mobility and a sample Debye volume respectively corresponding to electrical mobility and Debye volume characterizing said analytical sample.

3 . The method according to claim 2 further comprising determining a sample leakage current, a sample conductivity, and a sample ideality parameter respectively corresponding to leakage current, conductivity, and ideality parameter characterizing said analytical sample based on said current-voltage profile; and calculating said sample electrical mobility based on said sample conductivity and said sample ideality parameter.

4 . The method according to claim 2 further comprising determining a material index as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume and deviation of said sample electrical mobility from a reference electrical mobility, wherein said material index uniquely corresponds to said analyte, whereby said analyte is identified.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein said reference Debye volume and said reference electrical mobility correspond respectively to Debye volume and electrical mobility of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.

6 . A sensing method for quantifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing method comprising:
supplying said analytical sample to a sample chamber, said sample chamber being at least partially delimited by a first electrode and a second electrode, providing a holding voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, whereby said analyte polarizes and diffuses towards one of said electrodes forming an electrode-electrolyte interface, providing a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes and determining a capacitance-voltage profile of said analytical sample, and quantifying said analyte based on said capacitance-voltage profile.

7 . The method according to claim 6 further comprises determining a sample doping concentration and a sample Debye volume respectively corresponding to doping concentration and Debye volume characterizing said analytical sample.

8 . The method according to claim 7 wherein said sample doping concentration is calculated based on inverse of slope of capacitance (1/C 2 ) plotted against voltage (V).

9 . The method according to claim 7 further comprising determining an analyte quantity as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample doping concentration from a reference doping concentration and deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume, wherein said reference Debye volume and said reference electrical mobility correspond respectively to Debye volume and electrical mobility of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.

10 . The method according to claim 6 further comprising determining a sample Debye volume corresponding to Debye volume characterizing said analytical sample and determining an analyte quantity as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume and a unit volume of said analyte, wherein said reference Debye volume corresponds to Debye volume of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.

11 . A sensing device for identifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing device comprising:
a sample chamber configured for holding said analytical sample, a first electrode and a second electrode, said electrodes being at least partially delimiting said sample chamber, a controlled voltage source, said controlled voltage source being electrically coupled to said first and said second electrodes, and said controlled voltage source being configured for providing a holding voltage and a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, and a measurement module, said measurement module configured for measuring variation of an electrical current through said sample chamber under said pulsating sweep voltage applied across said electrodes to generate a current-voltage profile of said analytical sample, and further configured for identifying said analyte in said analytical sample based on said current-voltage profile.

12 . The device according to claim 11 , wherein said measurement module is configured for determining a sample electrical mobility and a sample Debye volume respectively corresponding to electrical mobility and Debye volume characterizing said analytical sample.

13 . The device according to claim 12 , wherein said measurement module is further configured for determining a sample leakage current, a sample conductivity, and a sample ideality parameter respectively corresponding to leakage current, conductivity, and ideality parameter characterizing said analytical sample based on said current-voltage profile; and calculating said sample electrical mobility based on said sample conductivity and said sample ideality parameter.

14 . The device according to claim 12 , wherein said measurement module is further configured for determining a material index as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume and deviation of said sample electrical mobility from a reference electrical mobility, wherein said material index uniquely corresponds to said analyte, whereby said analyte is identified.

15 . The device according to claim 14 , wherein said reference Debye volume and said reference electrical mobility correspond respectively to Debye volume and electrical mobility of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.

16 . A sensing device for quantifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing device comprising:
a sample chamber configured for holding said analytical sample, a first electrode and a second electrode, said electrodes being at least partially delimiting said sample chamber, a controlled voltage source, said controlled voltage source being electrically coupled to said first and said second electrodes, and said controlled voltage source being configured for providing a holding voltage and a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, and a measurement module, said measurement module configured for measuring variation of a capacitance across said electrodes under said pulsating sweep voltage applied across said electrodes t

Assignees

• Univ United Arab Emirates

Inventors

• Al Ahmad Mahmoud

Classifications

• G01N27/48 Primary

  using polarography, i.e. measuring changes in current under a slowly-varying voltage · CPC title

• G01N27/44752

  Controlling the zeta potential, e.g. by wall coatings · CPC title