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US 2007/0175760 A1Published application
Photoelectrochemical Molecular comb
AssigneeUT-Battelle, LLC
InventorsThomas Thundat, Thomas Ferrell, Gilbert Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus are provided for separating molecules, such as biomolecules. The method, system, and apparatus utilize an electrochemical cell having at least to electrodes, one electrode comprising a photo-sensitive material capable of generating a photopotential. Molecules are moved through an electrolyte medium between the at least two electrodes based upon localized photopotentials.
Claims18
An apparatus, comprising:
- a photo-sensitive electrode;
- an electrolyte medium in contact with the photo-sensitive electrode;
- a counter electrode;
- a voltage source electrically coupled to the photo-sensitive electrode and the counter electrode, wherein a voltage generates a depletion region in the photo-sensitive electrode;
- and
- at least one photon energy source incident upon the depletion region, wherein the photon energy source generates photon energy such that photon energy contacting the depletion region forms electron-hole pairs, wherein either or both of the photon energy source and/or photo-sensitive electrode is movable relative to the other.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.