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US 10,897,256 B2Granted
Integrated circuit based microsensor chemical detection system and elements
AssigneeNonvologic LLC
InventorMark B Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A chemical detection system on an integrated circuit includes microsensor elements adapted to detect target chemical and/or target environmental conditions. The chemical detection system generally includes carbon nanotubes as the microsensor elements, magnetoelectronic processing components for interpreting the CNT state, non-volatile memory for storing the detection state, and a combination of readout options, including transmitting antennas and micromechanical structures for controlling an expression of a readout substance.
Claims22
A chemical detection system situated on a single semiconductor chip, comprising:
- a carbon nanotube (CNT) sensor circuit configured with a resistance state that is responsive to the presence of a target chemical and/or target environmental condition when exposed to a target environment;
- a transducer coupled to the CNT sensor circuit configured to detect said resistance state and generate an output corresponding thereto;
- a magnetoelectronic (ME) processing circuit coupled to said transducer and including one or more magnetoelectronic gates adapted to perform a first sequence of operations during an operational mode on said output from said transducer;
- wherein a detection output is generated by the ME processing circuit having a detection value based on said first sequence of operations confirming the presence of said target chemical and/or target environmental condition;
- further wherein said ME processing circuit is configured to not consume power in a quiescent mode;
- a non-volatile memory coupled to said ME processing circuit for storing said detection value;
- a first readout substance situated in a storage chamber of said single semiconductor chip;
- wherein said first readout substance includes a form and quantity sufficient to be identified as first readout output by an unaided human eye;
- one or more micromechanical structures responsive to said detection output, and adapted to cause said first readout substance to be released from said storage chamber in response to said detection value;
- a transmitter and antenna coupled to the ME processing circuit and adapted for communicating said detection value using microwave radiation as a second readout output;
- wherein a presence of said target chemical and/or target environmental condition can be determined through two separate readout outputs:
- 1) by an unaided human eye detecting said first readout substance released from said chamber;
- and 2) by decoding said microwave radiation communicating said detection value.
10 more elements
A chemical detection system situated on a single semiconductor chip, comprising:
- a carbon nanotube (CNT) sensor circuit configured with a resistance state that is responsive to the presence of a target chemical and/or target environmental condition when exposed to a target environment;
- a transducer coupled to the CNT sensor circuit configured to detect said resistance state and generate an output corresponding thereto;
- a magnetoelectronic (ME) processing circuit coupled to said transducer and including one or more magnetoelectronic gates adapted to perform a first sequence of operations during an operational mode on said output from said transducer;
- wherein a detection output is generated by the ME processing circuit having a detection value based on said first sequence of operations confirming the presence of said target chemical and/or target environmental condition;
- further wherein said ME processing circuit is configured to not consume power in a quiescent mode;
- a non-volatile memory coupled to said ME processing circuit for storing said detection value;
- a readout substance situated in a storage chamber of said single semiconductor chip;
- wherein said readout substance is in a form and quantity that is not detectable by an unaided human eye;
- one or more micromechanical structures responsive to said detection output, and adapted to cause said readout substance to be released from storage chamber in response to said detection value;
- a microwave antenna coupled to the non-volatile memory and responsive to an interrogation signal to enable passive readout of said stored detection value;
- wherein a presence of said target chemical and/or target environmental condition can be determined through two separate readout outputs:
- 1) by interrogating said stored detection value;
- and 2) by an optical detector system optically detecting said first readout substance.
10 more elements
A chemical detection system situated on a single semiconductor chip, comprising:
- a carbon nanotube (CNT) sensor circuit configured with a resistance state that is responsive to the presence of a target chemical and/or target environmental condition when exposed to a target environment;
- a transducer coupled to the CNT sensor circuit configured to detect said resistance state and generate an output corresponding thereto;
- a magnetoelectronic (ME) processing circuit coupled to said transducer and including one or more magnetoelectronic gates adapted to perform a first sequence of operations during an operational mode on said output from said transducer;
- wherein a detection output is generated by the ME processing circuit having a detection value based on said first sequence of operations confirming the presence of said target chemical and/or target environmental condition;
- further wherein said ME processing circuit is configured to not consume power in a quiescent mode;
- a non-volatile memory coupled to said ME processing circuit for storing said detection value;
- a first readout substance situated in a storage chamber of said single semiconductor chip;
- wherein said first readout substance is in a first form and first quantity sufficient to be identified as first readout output by an unaided human eye;
- a second readout substance situated in said storage chamber of said single semiconductor chip;
- wherein said second readout substance is in a second form and second quantity which is not detectable by an unaided human eye;
- one or more micromechanical structures responsive to said detection output, and adapted to cause said first readout substance and said second readout substance to be released from said storage chamber in response to said detection value;
- wherein a presence of said target chemical and/or target environmental condition can be determined through two separate readout outputs:
- 1) by an unaided human eye detecting said first readout substance released from said chamber;
- and 2) by an optical detector system optically detecting said second readout substance released from said chamber.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.