Piezoresistive NEMS array network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291600-B2
Application number	US-201313750897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2013
Priority date	Jan 2, 2013
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A sensor for detecting analytes, a method of making the sensor, and a method of using the sensor. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises at least one array comprising a plurality of resonators. The resonators can be arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and can be connected in a combined series-parallel configuration. The resonators can be adapted to vibrate independently at about the same resonance frequency and about the same phase. The sensor can also comprise an actuator and a signal detector electrically coupled to the array. The sensor can also further comprise an analyte delivery system and can be functionalized for detection of at least one analyte.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article comprising:
at least one array comprising a plurality of resonators,
wherein the resonators are arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns,
and wherein the resonators are adapted to vibrate at about the same resonance frequency and about the same phase, wherein the article is configured to detect at least one analyte based on contact of the analyte with the surface of the resonators.

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are cantilevers.

3. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are nanoresonators.

4. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators comprise piezoresistors.

5. The article of claim 1 , wherein the array comprises at least 1,000 resonators.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the array comprises at least 25,000 resonators.

7. The article of claim 1 , wherein the array comprises at least 100,000 resonators.

8. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators in the array are substantially identical.

9. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are about 1.6 micrometers to about 5 micrometers long, and wherein the resonators are about 800 nanometers to about 1.2 micrometers wide.

10. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are adapted to vibrate independently.

11. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are electrically coupled using a combined series-parallel configuration.

12. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are electrically coupled using a combined series-parallel configuration, and wherein at least one row of resonators is connected in parallel, and wherein at least one column of resonators is connected in series.

13. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are electrically coupled using a combined series-parallel configuration, and wherein all resonators of a row are connected in parallel and all resonators of a column are connected in series.

14. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator and a signal detector electrically connected to the array.

15. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator and a signal detector electrically connected to the array, wherein the resonators are adapted to vibrate independently and wherein the resonators are adapted so that signals based on the resonator vibration are electrically coupled.

16. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator and a signal detector electrically connected to the array, wherein the actuator is adapted to excite the resonators into vibration at a resonance frequency by electric actuation.

17. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator and a signal detector electrically connected to the array, wherein the actuator is adapted to excite the resonators into vibration at a resonance frequency by thermoelastic actuation.

18. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator and a signal detector electrically connected to the array, wherein the signal detector is a piezoresistive signal detector.

19. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator and a signal detector electrically connected to the array, wherein at least one metal loop is used for both actuation and signal detection.

20. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator and a signal detector electrically connected to the array, wherein the article comprises multiple arrays that can be measured at the same time.

21. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator and a signal detector electrically connected to the array, wherein the article comprises multiple arrays that can be detected at the same time, wherein the resonators of each array are adapted to resonate at a center frequency, and wherein the resonators of each array are adapted to vibrate at a different center frequency than the resonators of other arrays.

22. The article of claim 1 , wherein each resonator has a resistance of about 1Ω to about 20 Ω.

23. The article of claim 1 , wherein each resonator has a resistance of about 7 Ω.

24. The article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rows and columns is arranged so that the total resistance of the array is about 1Ω to about 100Ω.

25. The article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rows and columns is arranged so that the total resistance of the array is about 50 Ω.

26. The article of claim 1 , wherein the array is able to handle power input of at least 900 mW per array.

27. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an analyte delivery system.

28. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an analyte delivery system, wherein the analyte delivery system comprises a chamber with a valve, and wherein the array is exposed to an analyte by opening the valve.

29. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an analyte delivery system, wherein the analyte delivery system is a gas chromatography column that is connected to the array.

30. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are coated with a coating material capable of interacting with at least one analyte.

31. The article of claim 1 comprising multiple arrays, wherein the resonators are coated with a polymer capable of interacting with at least one analyte, and wherein each array is configured to detect a single analyte.

32. The article of claim 1 comprising multiple arrays, wherein the resonators are coated with a polymer capable of interacting with at least one analyte, and wherein each array is configured to interact with at least one analyte, and wherein the article is configured to interact with at least two analytes.

33. The article of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator and a signal detector electrically connected to the array, and an analyte delivery system connected to the array, and wherein the resonators are functionalized for detection of at least one analyte, and wherein the article is capable of detecting an analyte present at a parts per billion concentration.

34. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are distributed over at least a 100 nm 2 area.

35. The article of claim 1 , wherein the array has a maximum resonator density of between 4 and 6 million resonators per square centimeter.

36. The article of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is adapted for a single measurement circuit.

37. The article of claim 1 , wherein the resonators are coated with a coating material capable of interacting with at least one analyte, wherein the analyte is mercury, hydrogen, an alcohol, water vapor, an explosive material, a chemical element, a chemical compound, an organic material, an inorganic material, a gaseous substance, a liquid, a biological material, a protein, a nucleic acid, a virus, a DNA strand, a bioactive agent, or a toxin.

38. An article comprising: at least one array comprising a plurality of resonators, wherein the resonators are arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein the resonators are electrically coupled using a combined series-parallel configuration, and wherein all resonators of a row are connected in parallel and all resonators of a column are connected in series, wherein the article is configured to detect at least one analyte based on contact of the analyte with the surface of the resonators.

Assignees

• California Inst Of Techn

Inventors

• Bargatin Igor
• Aldridge John Sequoyah
• Myers Edward
• Roukes Michael L

Classifications

• G01N2291/0256

  Adsorption, desorption, surface mass change, e.g. on biosensors · CPC title

• G01N29/036 Primary

  by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N2291/0427

  Flexural waves, plate waves, e.g. Lamb waves, tuning fork, cantilever · CPC title

• G01N29/34

  Generating the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves {, e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor} · CPC title

• G01N29/022

  Fluid sensors based on microsensors, e.g. quartz crystal-microbalance [QCM], surface acoustic wave [SAW] devices, tuning forks, cantilevers, flexural plate wave [FPW] devices (microdevices per se B81B) · CPC title