Device for detecting chemical/physical phenomenon

A chemical or physical phenomenon detecting device comprising a semiconductor substrate containing a sensing region and a charge accumulation region, wherein:

• the charge accumulation region comprises a first potential well region which is adjacent to, and spatially contiguous with, the sensing region;
• an electrical potential of the sensing region changes in response to a change in an external environment in communication with the sensing region;
• the sensing region and accumulation region are jointly configured and arranged such that, when a boundary electrical potential of the first potential well is equal to the electrical potential of the sensing region, an amount of charge corresponding to the electrical potential of the sensing region collects in the accumulation region in the absence of any voltage externally applied to any of the first potential well and the sensing region;
• and
• an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of charge collected in the accumulation region is produced at an electrical output terminal of the device.

A method of measuring a chemical or physical phenomenon using a chemical or physical phenomenon detecting device wherein:

• the device comprises a semiconductor substrate containing a sensing region, a charge accumulation region, and an electrical output terminal;
• the charge accumulation region comprises a first potential well region which is adjacent to, and spatially contiguous with, the sensing region;
• an electrical potential of the sensing region changes in response to a change in an external environment in communication with the sensing region;
• and
• the sensing region and accumulation region are jointly configured and arranged such that, when a boundary electrical potential of the first potential well is equal to the electrical potential of the sensing region, an amount of charge corresponding to the electrical potential of the sensing region collects in the accumulation region in the absence of any voltage externally applied to any of the first potential well and the sensing region;
• the method comprising:
• (i) during a sensing step, configuring the electrical boundary potential of the first potential well to equal the electrical potential of the sensing region;
• and
• (ii) during a detection step following the sensing step, producing an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of charge collected in the accumulation region at the electrical output terminal of the device.