Sensor and a method of assembling a sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9375711-B2
Application number	US-201113043352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2011
Priority date	Mar 8, 2010
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

“Click-assembly” methods of assembling a sensor for sensing biologically-active molecules by measuring impedance changes, are disclosed, comprising supporting a bio-sensor on a carrier, the bio-sensor comprising an electronic component having at least one micro-electrode and at least one electrical contact, functionalizing the bio-sensor by physically or chemically coupling a bio-receptor molecule to each of the at least one micro-electrode, and subsequently assembling the bio-sensor with a micro-fluidic unit by means of a clamp which clamps the bio-sensor with the micro-fluidic unit, such that in use a fluid introduced into the micro-fluidic unit is able to contact the bio-receptor and is isolated from the electrical contact. The clamp may be a spring, and the method may avoid a requirement for sealing by chemical or thermal means and thereby avoid damaging the bio-receptor.
Sensors which can be assembled according to such methods are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor for sensing a biologically-active molecule by measuring impedance changes, the sensor comprising:
a bio-sensor affixed to a carrier having a structure that supports the bio-sensor,
a micro-fluidic unit including surfaces that define a fluid channel and having a fluid contact location adjacent to a portion of the bio-sensor, and
a clamp,
wherein the bio-sensor comprises an electrical component having at least one nanoelectrode and at least one electrical contact electrically connected to the nanoelectrode and being functionalized by the provision of a bio-receptor on the at least one nanoelectrode,
the clamp being for clamping the micro-fluidic unit with the carrier such that in use a fluid introduced into the micro-fluidic unit is able to contact the bio-receptor, at the fluid contact location, and is isolated from the electrical contact.

2. A sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the clamp comprises a spring for urging the micro-fluidic unit towards the carrier.

3. A sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the micro-fluidic unit further defines an open channel,
further comprising a spacer, between the clamp and the micro-fluidic unit, including a cavity configured and arranged to enclose the biosensor with the nanoelectrodes of the biosensor directly over the open channel.

4. A sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising a flex-foil for making electrical connection with the electrical contact.

5. A sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the flex-foil is integral with the micro-fluidic unit.

6. A sensor according to claim 4 wherein the flex-foil comprises at least one finger having a deformable bump at its tip, the bump being of an electrically-conducting material and arranged to be urged against the electrical contact by means of the clamp and for making electrical connection to the electrical contact.

7. A sensor according to claim 1 further comprising a needle which is arranged to be urged against the electrical contact and for making electrical connection to the electrical contact.

8. A sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-fluidic unit comprises a plurality of components.

9. A sensor according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of components are configured to auto-align with the biosensor during assembly, by means of any of at least one of lugs, spigots, grooves or other geometrical features on at least one of the components.

10. A sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the spring is a generally n-shaped clip having a top and walls, the carrier is located generally within the clip and between the top and the bio-sensor, and, optionally, the walls have protrusions for engaging the micro-fluidic unit.

11. A sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the bio-sensor includes the bio-receptor, the bio-receptor being coupled to the nanoelectrode and configured and arranged to
chemically interact in response to contact with a target molecule at the fluid contact location, and
impart a detectable electrical characteristic, to the nanoelectrode, that is indicative of the chemical interaction with the target molecule.

12. A sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical contact is separated from the nanoelectrode by a first distance, further including a conductive connector that electrically connects the at least one electrical contact to the nanoelectrode, the sensor including a material that isolates the at least one electrical contact from the fluid.

13. An apparatus comprising:
a micro-fluidic structure having sidewalls that define a fluidic channel;
a bio-sensor configured and arranged with the micro-fluidic structure to form a cavity in which the fluid flows via the fluidic channel, the bio-sensor including
a nanoelectrode, and
a bio-receptor coupled to the nanoelectrode and interfacing with the fluidic channel, the bio-receptor being configured and arranged to chemically interact with target biologically-active molecules in the fluidic channel, and to impart an impedance characteristic to the nanoelectrode that is based upon the chemical interaction with the target molecules;

an electrical contact electrically connected to the nanoelectrode and isolated from contact with the fluid in the fluidic channel; and
a clamp including a spring component and configured and arranged to, in response to pressing of the micro-fluidic structure to the bio-sensor, clamp the micro-fluidic structure to the bio-sensor and to, via the clamping and spring force applied via the spring component, form the cavity and a liquid-tight seal that confines the fluid within the cavity.

14. A sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-fluidic unit has at least one sidewall that defines the fluid channel with an inlet and an outlet, the fluid channel being configured and arranged with the nanoelectrode to present fluid to the nanoelectrode by flowing the fluid between the inlet and the outlet.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the bio-receptor is configured and arranged to chemically interact with different types of target molecules, and to impart different impedance characteristics to the nanoelectrode for each of the different types of target molecules.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein
the bio-receptor includes different types of probe biomolecules, each type of probe biomolecule being coupled to a specific region of the nanoelectrode,
the nanoelectrode has a plurality of the specific regions each having a different type of the probe biomolecule,
each specific region is configured and arranged with the type of probe biomolecule coupled thereto, to provide an output indicative of a specific one of the different types of target molecules chemically interacting with the type of probe biomolecule coupled to the specific region.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a flex-foil having a deformable bump configured and arranged to make electrical connection with the electrical contact in response to the clamp pressing the micro-fluidic structure to the bio-sensor.

Assignees

• Hoofman Romano
• Reuvers Gerard
• Widdershoven Franciscus Petrus
• Gridelet Evelyne
• Kleef Marcus Henricus Van
• Nxp Bv

Inventors

• Hoofman Romano
• Reuvers Gerard
• Widdershoven Franciscus Petrus
• Gridelet Evelyne
• Kleef Marcus Henricus Van

Classifications

• B01L2200/12

  Specific details about manufacturing devices · CPC title

• G01N27/3275

  Sensing specific biomolecules, e.g. nucleic acid strands, based on an electrode surface reaction · CPC title

• Y10T29/49105

  Switch making · CPC title

• B01L3/502715 Primary

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

• B01L2300/0645

  Electrodes · CPC title