# US 11,077,475 B2 · Neuro-chemical sensor with inhibition of fouling on nano-electrode

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- Number: US 11,077,475 B2
- Document ID: US11077475B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/602,363
- Filed: 2017-05-23
- Published: 2018-11-29
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-23
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Steven J. Holmes; Emily R. Kinser; Qinghuang Lin; Nathan P. Marchack; Roy R. Yu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077475B2

## CPC

- B08B 17/02: Preventing deposition of fouling or of dust
- A61B 5/4839: {combined with drug delivery}
- B08B 17/065: {the surface having a microscopic surface pattern to achieve the same effect as a lotus flower}
- A61B 2562/0209: Special features of electrodes classified in A61B5/24, A61B5/25, A61B5/283, A61B5/291, A61B5/296, A61B5/053
- A61B 2562/0285: Nanoscale sensors
- A61B 2562/046: in a matrix array
- A61B 2562/125: characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
- B82Y 15/00: Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES

## Abstract

A biosensor includes an array of metal nanorods formed on a substrate. An electropolymerized conductor is formed over tops of a portion of the nanorods to form a reservoir between the electropolymerized conductor and the substrate. The electropolymerized conductor includes pores that open and close responsively to electrical signals applied to the nanorods. A dispensing material is loaded in the reservoir to be dispersed in accordance with open pores.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device, comprising:
an array of metal nanorods formed on a substrate, wherein each of the metal nanorods in the array are separated from adjacent metal nanorods by a distance;
an encapsulation wall surrounding at least a subset of the array of nanorods and separated from adjacent metal nanorods by a distance;
an electropolymerized conductor formed over tops of the subset of the array of nanorods and the encapsulation wall to form an enclosed reservoir between the electropolymerized conductor, the encapsulation wall, and the substrate, wherein the electropolymerized conductor includes pores that open and close responsively to electrical signals applied to the nanorods;
a dispensing material loaded in the reservoir to be dispersed in accordance with open pores; and
a control circuit that controls the electrical signals applied to the nanorods and an electric field, wherein the electric field is configured to retard cell growth using a pulsed signal sufficient to induce apoptosis in cells.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the electropolymerized conductor includes polypyrrole.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a semiconductor material and the control circuit is formed in the substrate to control activation of electrodes formed by the nanorods.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the dispensing material includes a cell growth inhibitor or a cell growth promoter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical signals are pulsed to control an amount of dispensing material released.

### Claim 6

A device, comprising:
an array of metal nanorods formed on a substrate, the array of metal nanorods being grouped into a first region and a second region, the nanorods in the first region having a first spacing therebetween different than a second spacing of nanorods in the second region; and
a controller circuit configured to direct voltage to a selected one of the first region and second region, wherein:
voltage directed by the controller circuit to activate the first region generates an electric field that retards cell growth, wherein the electric field includes a nanosecond pulsed signal sufficient to induce apoptosis in cells; and
voltage directed by the controller circuit to activate the second region generates an electric field that stimulates cell growth.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device as recited in claim 6, wherein the first region and the second region are activated using a common voltage signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The device as recited in claim 6, wherein both the first region and the second region are intermittently activated with the electric field that retards cell growth.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The device as recited in claim 6, wherein the electric field in the second region stimulates cell growth of cells bound to one or more of the metal nanorods in the second region with an electrical pulsation.