# US 11,112,394 B2 · Ethylenic compound sensor including an organic semiconductor

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- Number: US 11,112,394 B2
- Document ID: US11112394B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/852,063
- Filed: 2017-12-22
- Published: 2018-06-28
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-23
- Assignees: The Johns Hopkins University
- Applicants: Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures
- Inventors: Howard E. Katz; Kalpana Besar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112394B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/0047: {Organic compounds}
- H10D 64/411: {for FETs}
- H10K 10/488: {the channel region comprising a layer of composite material having interpenetrating or embedded materials, e.g. a mixture of donor and acceptor moieties, that form a bulk heterojunction}
- H10K 19/10: comprising field-effect transistors
- H10K 85/10: Organic polymers or oligomers
- H10K 10/466: {Lateral bottom-gate IGFETs comprising only a single gate}
- H10K 85/113: {Heteroaromatic compounds comprising sulfur or selene, e.g. polythiophene}
- H10P 14/69215: {the material being a silicon oxide, e.g. SiO2}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An ethylene-sensitive sensor is described that includes a power source; an ethylene-sensitive semiconductor component electrically connected to the power source, the semiconducting component comprising a semiconducting organic compound; an input electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor component; and an output electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor component. The semiconductor material is at least partially exposed such that it can be contacted by a vapor. Methods of using the ethylene-sensitive sensor to detect ethylenic compounds are also described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ethylene-sensitive sensor, comprising:
a power source;
an ethylene-sensitive semiconductor component electrically connected to the power source, the semiconducting component comprising a semiconducting organic compound combined with palladium particles and a porogen to introduce pores into the semiconducting organic compound, increasing surface area of the semiconducting organic compound;
an input electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor component; and
an output electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor component;
wherein the semiconductor component is at least partially exposed such that it can be contacted by a vapor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the ethylene-sensitive sensor further comprises a gate electrode and the ethylene-sensitive semiconductor component is part of a field effect transistor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the semiconducting organic compound, the input electrode, and the output electrode, are in contact with a silicon dioxide layer positioned over a silicon layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the semiconducting organic compound is a p-type organic semiconductor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the semiconducting organic compound includes an organic group selected from the group consisting of thiophene, phenylene, selenophene, fluorene, naphthalene, ethylene, ethynylene, cyclopentadiene, silacyclopentadiene, benzothiadiazole, benzoxadiazole, diketopyrroleopyrrole, and isoindigo.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the semiconducting organic compound is a semiconducting polymer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 6, wherein the semiconducting polymer is a thiophene polymer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 7, wherein the thiophene polymer is poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) or poly(3,3′″-didodecylquarterthiophene) (PQT12).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the porogen is N-(tert-butoxy-carbonyloxy)-phthalimide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 1, wherein the ethylene-sensitive sensor is flexible.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A method of detecting an ethylenic compound using the ethylene-sensitive sensor of claim 1, comprising contacting a vapor of interest with the ethylene-sensitive sensor having an output voltage or current, and determining that an ethylenic compound is present in the vapor of interest if this contact causes a change in the output voltage or current of the ethylene-sensitive sensor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the ethylene-sensitive sensor further comprises a gate electrode and the semiconductor component of the ethylene-sensitive sensor is part of a field effect transistor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the ethylenic compound is ethylene.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the vapor of interest is produced by fruit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the method of detecting the ethylenic compound includes the step of determining the amount of ethylenic compound present in the vapor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein a concentration of 50 ppm or more of the ethylenic compound is sufficient to cause a detectable change in the output voltage or current of the ethylene-sensitive sensor.