Selective functionalization of sensing surface
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsSangHoon Shin, Sufi Zafar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A structure for sensing a molecule in a solution is provided. The structure includes a transducer, a sensing surface and a heating element. With the sensing surface immersed in a first solution, a heating of the sensing surface by the heating element disassembles first self-assembled molecules from the sensing surface. With the sensing surface immersed in a second solution, second molecules self-assemble onto the sensing surface. The transducer is configured to cooperatively monitor molecular disassembly and self-assembly in the first and second solutions, respectively, with respect to the sensing surface.
Claims5
A method for sensing molecules in a solution, the method comprising:
- immersing a sensing surface in a first solution;
- heating the sensing surface in the first solution to disassemble first self-assembled molecules from the sensing surface;
- monitoring, at a bi-polar junction transistor (BJT) transducer, molecular disassembly of the first self-assembled molecules from the sensing surface in the first solution by the heating of the sensing surface;
- immersing the sensing surface in a second solution whereby second molecules self-assemble onto the sensing surface;
- and
- monitoring, at the bi-polar junction transistor (BJT) transducer, molecular self-assembly of the second molecules onto the sensing surface in the second solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.