Quantum wire sensor and methods of forming and using same
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents
InventorsBharath R. Takulapalli, Gerard Laws, John Devens Gust, JR., Trevor Thornton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solid-state field-effect transistor device for detecting chemical and biological species and for detecting changes in radiation is disclosed. The device includes a quantum wire channel section to improve device sensitivity. The device is operated in a fully depleted mode such that a sensed biological, chemical or radiation change causes an exponential change in channel conductance of the transistor.
Claims20
A sensor for detecting a biological, chemical, or radioactive species, the sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
- an insulator formed overlying a portion of the substrate;
- and
- a quantum wire channel found overlying the insulator,
- wherein the sensor is configured to operate in a fully depleted mode, such that a sensed biological, chemical, or radioactive species causes an exponential change in channel conductance of the sensor.
The sensor for detecting a biological, chemical, or radioactive species wherein the substrate, the insulator, and the quantum wire channel are formed from a silicon-on-insulator substrate.
A method of operating a sensor, the method comprising the steps of
- providing a sensor comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- an insulator formed overlying a portion of the substrate;
- and
- a quantum wire semiconductor channel found overlying the insulator,
- exposing the sensor to an atmosphere suspected of containing chemical, biological, or radioactive species;
- and
- measuring an exponential change in drain current upon detection of the chemical biological, or radioactive species.
A method of forming a solid-state sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate;
- forming an insulator overlying the substrate;
- and
- forming a quantum wire channel region overlying the insulator.
A sensor for detecting a biological, chemical, or radioactive species, the sensor comprising:
- an insulator;
- and
- a quantum wire channel found overlying the insulator,
- wherein the sensor is configured to operate in a fully depleted mode, such that a sensed biological, chemical, or radioactive species causes an exponential change in channel conductance of the sensor, and wherein the channel is fully depleted with out any need for a gate bias.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.