Chemical-analysis device integrated with metallic-nanofinger device for chemical sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9279767-B2
Application number	US-201013879255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2010
Priority date	Oct 20, 2010
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

A chemical-analysis device integrated with a metallic-nanofinger device for chemical sensing. The chemical-analysis device includes a metallic-nanofinger device, and a platform. The metallic-nanofinger device includes a substrate, and a plurality of nanofingers coupled with the substrate. A nanofinger of the plurality includes a flexible column, and a metallic cap coupled to an apex of the flexible column. At least the nanofinger and a second nanofinger of the plurality of nanofingers are to self-arrange into a close-packed configuration with at least one analyte molecule. A morphology of the metallic cap is to generate a shifted plasmonic-resonance peak associated with amplified luminescence from the analyte molecule. A method for using, and a chemical-analysis apparatus including the chemical-analysis device are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chemical-analysis device integrated with a metallic-nanofinger device for chemical sensing, said chemical-analysis device comprising:
a metallic-nanofinger device for chemical sensing, said metallic-nanofinger device comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of nanofingers coupled with said substrate, a nanofinger of said plurality comprising:
a flexible column; and
a metallic cap coupled to an apex of said flexible column;

wherein at least said nanofinger and a second nanofinger of said plurality of nanofingers are to self-arrange into a close-packed configuration with at least one analyte molecule disposed between at least said metallic cap and a second metallic cap of respective nanofinger and second nanofinger; and
wherein a morphology of said metallic cap is to generate a shifted plasmonic resonance peak associated with amplified luminescence from said analyte molecule; and

a platform with which said metallic-nanofinger device is coupled.

2. The chemical-analysis device of claim 1 , wherein said metallic-nanofinger device is to produce a change in optical response from said metallic-nanofinger device upon exposing said chemical-analysis device to a liquid, and purging said metallic-nanofinger device of said liquid.

3. The chemical-analysis device of claim 1 , said chemical-analysis device further comprising:
an enclosure encapsulating said metallic-nanofinger device and to confine said analyte molecule within said enclosure, said enclosure comprising:
a micro-fluidic channel to transport a liquid to and from said metallic-nanofinger device disposed within a portion of said micro-fluidic channel.

4. The chemical-analysis device of claim 1 , said chemical-analysis device further comprising:
an enclosure encapsulating said metallic-nanofinger device and to confine said analyte molecule within said enclosure, said enclosure comprising:
a combined micro-fluidic channel and waveguide configured both to transport a liquid to and from said metallic-nanofinger device contained within a portion of said micro-fluidic channel, and to conduct exciting electromagnetic radiation to said metallic-nanofinger device and emitted electromagnetic radiation away from said metallic-nanofinger device.

5. The chemical-analysis device of claim 1 , said chemical-analysis device further comprising:
an enclosure encapsulating said metallic-nanofinger device and to confine said analyte molecule within said enclosure, said enclosure comprising:
an enclosure cover;
an enclosure base;

enclosure sidewalls attached to said enclosure cover and attached to said enclosure base;
an enclosure inlet to admit a liquid into said enclosure; and
an enclosure outlet to remove said liquid from said enclosure.

6. The chemical-analysis device of claim 5 , wherein a component of said chemical analysis device, which is selected from the group consisting of said enclosure cover, said enclosure base, said enclosure sidewalls, said platform, said substrate, and a combination thereof, is transparent to exciting electromagnetic radiation and to emitted electromagnetic radiation.

7. The chemical-analysis device of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of nanofingers coupled with said substrate of said metallic-nanofinger device further comprises:
a coating encapsulating said metallic cap; and
wherein said coating is to develop a response upon exposure to a liquid.

8. The chemical-analysis device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a chemical-sensing chip, comprising:
said metallic-nanofinger device for chemical sensing, said device further comprising:
an array of patches, a patch of said array comprising:
said plurality of nanofingers coupled with said substrate; and

wherein said coating of said metallic cap in said patch is functionalized with certain probe species to develop a specific response upon exposure to certain targets in said liquid.

9. The chemical-analysis device of claim 8 , wherein each patch of said array of patches further comprises:
a micro-fluidic channel configured both to confine said analyte molecule within said micro-fluidic channel, and to transport said liquid to and from said metallic-nanofinger device disposed within a portion of said micro-fluidic channel; and
wherein said array of patches is configured as a lab-on-chip.

10. The chemical-analysis device of claim 1 , wherein said chemical-analysis device further comprises:
a test strip.

11. A chemical-analysis apparatus, comprising:
a chemical-analysis device integrated with a metallic-nanofinger device for chemical sensing, said chemical-analysis device comprising:
a metallic-nanofinger device for chemical sensing, said metallic-nanofinger device comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of nanofingers coupled with said substrate, a nanofinger of said plurality comprising:
a flexible column;
a metallic cap coupled to an apex of said flexible column; and
a coating encapsulating said metallic cap;

wherein at least said nanofinger and a second nanofinger of said plurality of nanofingers are to self-arrange into a close-packed configuration with at least one analyte molecule disposed between at least said metallic cap and a second metallic cap of respective nanofinger and second nanofinger;
wherein a morphology of said metallic cap is to generate a shifted plasmonic resonance peak associated with amplified luminescence from said analyte molecule; and

wherein said coating is to develop a response upon exposure to a liquid; and
a platform with which said metallic-nanofinger device is coupled; and

a source of exciting electromagnetic radiation to excite said analyte molecule captured by said chemical-analysis device; and
a detector to detect emitted electromagnetic radiation that may be emitted from said analyte molecule in response to said exciting electromagnetic radiation.

12. The chemical-analysis apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
an instrument selected from the group consisting of a colorimeter, a reflectometer, a spectrometer, a spectrophotometer, a Raman spectrometer, an optical microscope, and an instrument to accept said chemical-analysis device for optical analysis.

Assignees

• Li Zhiyong
• Williams R Stanley
• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Li Zhiyong
• Williams R Stanley

Classifications

• G01N21/6428 Primary

  Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" (in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53) · CPC title

• G01N21/648 Primary

  using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence · CPC title

• G01N21/658

  enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons · CPC title

• G01N33/54373

  involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings · CPC title