High data rate integrated circuit with transmitter configuration

#This disclosure, in general, relates to integrated circuit sensors operating at high data rates, such as used in DNA sequencing technologies, and configurations of transmitters on integrated circuits to support such data rates.

#A variety of types of sensors have been used in the detection of chemical and/or biological processes. One type is a chemically-sensitive field effect transistor (chemFET). A chemFET includes a gate, a source, a drain separated by a channel region, and a sensitive area, such as a surface on the gate adapted for contact with a fluid, coupled to the channel region. The operation of the chemFET is based on the modulation of channel conductance caused by changes, such as changes in voltage, at the sensitive area which can be due to a chemical and/or biological reaction occurring in the fluid, for example. The modulation of the channel conductance can be sensed to detect and/or determine characteristics of the chemical and/or biological reaction that cause changes at the sensitive area. One way to measure the channel conductance is to apply appropriate bias voltages to the source and drain, and measure a resulting current flowing through the chemFET. A method of measuring channel conductance can include driving a known current through the chemFET and measuring a resulting voltage at the source or drain.

#An ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) is a type of chemFET that includes an ion-sensitive layer at the sensitive area. The presence of ions in a fluid containing an analyte alters the surface potential at the interface between the ion-sensitive layer and the analyte fluid which can be due to the protonation or deprotonation of surface charge groups caused by the ions present in the fluid (i.e. an analyte solution). The change in surface potential at the sensitive area of the ISFET affects the gate voltage of the device, and thereby channel conductance, which change can be measured to indicate the presence and/or concentration of ions within the solution. Arrays of ISFETs can be used for monitoring chemical and/or biological reactions, such as DNA sequencing reactions based on the detection of ions present, generated, or used during the reactions. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,948,015 to Rothberg et al., filed Dec. 14, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.) More generally, large arrays of chemFETs or other types of sensors and detectors can be employed to detect and measure static and/or dynamic amounts or concentrations of a variety of analytes in a variety of processes. For example, the processes can be chemical and/or biological reactions, cell or tissue cultures or monitoring neural activity, nucleic acid sequencing, etc.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of components of a system for nucleic acid sequencing according to an exemplary embodiment.

#FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of the integrated circuit device and flow cell according to an exemplary embodiment.

#FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of representative sensors/detectors and corresponding reaction regions according to an exemplary embodiment.

#A detailed description of embodiments of the sensor technology and components thereof is provided with reference to FIGS. 1-13.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of components of a system for nucleic acid sequencing according to some embodiments. Such systems include device 100, which acts as a source of data that produces over 50 Gb per second of digital data, and in examples described herein, may produce over 100 Gb per second, and more. As illustrated schematically, a communication bus 127 supporting over 100 Gb per second may be desired in embodiments of the technology described herein. In an example system, a sensor chip includes over 600 million sensors, producing multiple bits per sensor, and senses at high frame rates. Additionally, a massively parallel system for transmitting data from a sensor array, or other high data rate source of data, on an integrated circuit, to a destination processor is described herein.

#As shown in FIG. 1, a nucleic acid sequencing system may include flow cell 101 on integrated circuit device 100, reference electrode 108, a plurality of reagents 114 for sequencing, valve block 116, wash solution 110, valve 112, fluidics controller 118, lines 120/122/126, passages 104/109/111, waste container 106, array controller 124, a reference clock 128 and user interface 129. As shown, integrated circuit device 100 includes microwell array 107 overlying a sensor array that includes devices as described herein. Flow cell 101 includes inlet 102, outlet 103, and flow chamber 105 defining a flow path of reagents over microwell array 107. Reference electrode 108 may be of any suitable type or shape, including a concentric cylinder with a fluid passage or a wire inserted into a lumen of passage 111. Reagents 114 may be driven through the fluid pathways, valves, and flow cell 101 by pumps, gas pressure, or other suitable methods, and may be discarded into waste container 106 after exiting outlet 103 of flow cell 101. Fluidics controller 118 can control driving forces for reagents 114 and operation of valve 112 (for wash fluid) and valve block 116 (for reagents) with a suitable processor executing software-implemented logic, other controller circuitry or combinations of controller circuitry and software-implemented logic. In some embodiments, fluidics controller 118 can control delivery of individual reagents 114 to flow cell 101 and integrated circuit device 100 in a predetermined sequence, for predetermined durations, and/or at predetermined flow rates.