# US 12,005,447 B2 · Apparatus and method for bio-particle detection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,447 B2 - Document ID: US12005447B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/889,085 - Filed: 2022-08-16 - Published: 2023-09-28 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-23 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Won Jong Jung; Hyeong Seok Jang; Kak Namkoong; Hyung Jun Youn; Jae Hong Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005447B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/502715: {characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces} - G01N 33/48721: {Investigating individual macromolecules, e.g. by translocation through nanopores (Coulter counters in general G01N15/12; fabrication methods for nanoscale apertures B81B1/00; sequencing of nucleic acids C12Q1/68)} - B01L 7/52: {with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples} - G01N 15/06: Investigating concentration of particle suspensions (by weighing G01N5/00; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10) - G01N 15/0612: {Optical scan of the deposits (G01N15/0625 takes precedence)} - G01N 15/0656: {using electric, e.g. electrostatic methods or magnetic methods (by investigating individual particles G01N15/1031, G01N15/12)} - B01L 2300/0645: Electrodes - B01L 2300/0654: Lenses; Optical fibres - B01L 2300/0681: Filter - B01L 2300/1822: using Peltier elements - B01L 2300/1894: Cooling means; Cryo cooling - G01N 15/01: specially adapted for biological cells, e.g. blood cells (investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions in blood G01N15/05) - G01N 15/075: by optical means - G01N 2015/03: {Electro-optical investigation of a plurality of particles, the analyser being characterised by the optical arrangement} - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - 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) ## Abstract An apparatus and method for bio-particle detection are provided. The apparatus for bio-particle detection includes: a bio-particle detection chip including a substrate having a plurality of through-hole groups, each through-hole group of the plurality of through-hole groups including through-holes which pass through the substrate from a first surface of the substrate toward an second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, and which are configured to accommodate a sample solution loaded therein; and a processor configured to determine a number of through-holes, among the through holes of at least one through-hole group of the plurality of through-hole groups, having a target material encapsulated therein, based on at least one of an electrical signal and an optical signal corresponding to the through-holes of the at least one through-hole group, and to estimate a concentration of the target material based on the determined number. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for bio-particle detection, the apparatus comprising: a bio-particle detection chip comprising a substrate having a plurality of through-hole groups, each through-hole group of the plurality of through-hole groups including through-holes which pass through the substrate from a first surface of the substrate toward an second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, and which are configured to accommodate a sample solution loaded therein; and a processor configured to determine a number of through-holes, among the through holes of at least one through-hole group of the plurality of through-hole groups, having a target material encapsulated therein, based on at least one of an electrical signal and an optical signal corresponding to the through-holes of the at least one through-hole group, and to estimate a concentration of the target material based on the determined number; wherein the through-holes of each of the plurality of through-hole groups have at least one of diameters, volumes, shapes, or arrangement interval different than respective diameters, volumes, shapes, or arrangement interval of the through-holes of other through-hole groups of the plurality of through-hole groups. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the through-holes of each through-hole group of the plurality of through-hole groups have the diameters different than the diameters of the through-holes of other through-hole groups of the plurality of through-hole groups. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the diameters of the through-holes in the plurality of through-hole groups increase in a flow direction of the sample solution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an optical signal detector comprising: a light source configured to emit light to the bio-particle detection chip; and a detector configured to measure the optical signal scattered or reflected from the bio-particle detection chip. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the number of through-holes having the target material encapsulated therein, based on fluorescence measured by the optical signal detector, the fluorescence emanating from the target material by the light emitted to the loaded sample solution. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to determine the number of through-holes having the target material encapsulated therein, based on transmittance of the light through the through-holes measured by the detector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the substrate comprises a structure formed with a metal nanostructure, and wherein the processor is further configured to identify a type of the target material based on plasmon resonance measured by the optical signal detector, the plasmon resonance occurring when the target material is attached to the structure formed with the metal nanostructure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the structure formed with the metal nanostructure has a metasurface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the through-holes in the at least one through-hole group of the plurality of through-hole groups are arranged in a photonic crystal, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine the number of through-holes having the target material encapsulated therein, based on a spectrum change in the photonic crystal measured by the detector. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising electrodes or transistors provided in at least a portion of the through-holes of each of the plurality of through-hole groups, and configured to measure an electrical signal corresponding to the at least the portion of the through-holes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the number of through-holes having the target material encapsulated therein, based on at least one of an impedance change and a current change measured by the electrodes or the transistors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a temperature controller configured to control temperature of the through-holes to be at least one of a thermal dissolution temperature, a reverse transcription temperature, and a bio-particle amplification temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein in response to the target material being amplified based on temperature controlled by the temperature controller, the processor is further configured to determine the number of through-holes having the target material encapsulated therein, based on a result of the amplification. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to estimate the concentration of the target material based on the determined number of through-holes having the target material encapsulated therein, and a predetermined target material concentration estimation model. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a structure of multiple layers in which the plurality of through-hole groups are formed, and the sample solution flows through channels formed between the respective layers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the number of through-holes having the target material encapsulated therein, based further on photothermal particles labeled on the target material before being loaded into the through-holes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an optical signal detector comprising: a light source configured to emit light onto the bio-particle detection chip; and a detector configured to measure the optical signal scattered or reflected from the bio-particle detection chip, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the number of through-holes having the target material encapsulated therein, based further on the optical signal from the photothermal particles. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a temperature measuring sensor configured to measure temperature of the through-holes, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the number of through-holes having the target material encapsulated therein, based further on an amount of heat generated by a photothermal effect of the photothermal particles and measured by the temperature measuring sensor. ### Claim 19 An apparatus for bio-particle detection, the apparatus comprising: a first main body comprising a sample solution inlet and a sample solution outlet; a second main body structurally connected to the first main body and configured to allow a fluid to flow; a bio-particle detection chip provided between the first main body and the second main body, the bio-particle detection chip comprising a substrate having a plurality of through-hole groups, each through-hole group of the plurality of through-hole groups including through-holes which pass through the substrate from a first surface of the substrate toward an second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface, and which are configured to accommodate a sample solution loaded therein; channels provided between the first main body and the second main body, and configured to have a sample solution flow therethrough; and a processor configured to determine a number of through-holes, among the through holes of at least one through-hole group of the plurality of through-hole groups, having a target material encapsulated therein, based on at least one of an electrical signal and an optical signal corresponding to the through-holes of the at least one through-hole group, and estimate a concentration of the target material based on the determined number; wherein the through-holes of each through-hole group of the plurality of through-hole groups have at least one of diameters, volumes, shapes, or arrangement interval different than respective diameters, volumes, shapes, or arrangement interval of the through-holes of other through-hole groups of the plurality of through-hole groups. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the through-holes are configured to be loaded with the sample solution by capillary action.