US 2025/0137984 A1Published application

Decoupled thermodynamic sensing system

AssigneeTrace Sensing Technologies Inc.

InventorsPeter P. RICCI, Otto J. GREGORY

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Abstract

Ultrasensitive, decoupled thermodynamic sensing platforms for the molecular-level detection of target analytes are disclosed, wherein the sensors have a heating resistor decoupled from a sensing resistor. Embodiments of the decoupled sensor comprise a metallic microheater resistor on one side of substrate, and a sensor resistor coupled to a catalyst on the other side of the substrate. A sensor array may be provided including a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst that, when exposed to an analyte, each experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously obtained reaction results may be used to determine the presence and the identity of the analyte. Advantageously, the decoupled sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity than other-known systems, and may be used to detect and identify a single molecule of an analyte.

Claims1

Dependent claims

A detection device comprising:

a first sensor comprising a first microheater layer, a first sensor layer, and a first catalyst layer in thermal communication with the first sensor layer, the first microheater layer separated from the first sensor layer by a first substrate layer;
a second sensor comprising a second microheater layer and a second sensor layer, the second microheater layer separated from the second sensor layer;
a controller in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller configured to:
cause a first amount of power to be provided to the first and second microheater layers to heat the first sensor layer to a first setpoint temperature and to heat the second sensor layer to a second setpoint temperature;
in response to an endothermic and/or exothermic reaction at the first and/or second sensor, cause a second amount of power to be applied to the first and/or second microheater layers to maintain the first setpoint temperature and the second setpoint temperature;
determine a measurement of the difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power, and
determine an existence, identity, and/or concentration of an analyte based on the measurement.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/011,451Filed 6 Jan 2025
Priority: 6 Nov 2020
Published: 1 May 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G01N 33/0031
Concerning the detector: comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array
G01K 17/04
Measuring quantity of heat: calorimeters using compensation methods , i.e. where the absorbed or released quantity of heat to be measured is…
G01K 17/06
Measuring quantity of heat: measuring quantity of heat conveyed by flowing media, e.g. in heating systems e.g. the quantity of heat in a…
G01N 25/30
The rise in temperature of the gases resulting from combustion being measured directly: using electric temperature-responsive elements

Family

Application63/110,829Us provisional application · filed 6 Nov 2020
Application17/453,620Continuation in part · filed 4 Nov 2021
Application17/659,980Continuation · filed 20 Apr 2022
Application19/011,451Continuation
Application17/659,980Continuation in part
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US 2025/0137984 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.