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US 6,661,299 B2Granted
Odor sensor with organic transistor circuitry
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsAnanth Dodabalapur, Alan Gelperin, Howard Edan Katz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Circuits include at least one-odor sensitive organic transistor having a conduction channel whose conductivity changes in response to certain odors. The organic transistors are interconnected to increase their response to selected odor signals. The organic transistors may be interconnected to form a ring oscillator whose frequency of oscillation changes in response to an odor signal and in which the alternating signal applied to the gate electrodes of the organic transistors enhances their recovery and reduces their drift.
Claims27
An analyte sensor comprising:
- a series of N inverters, where N is an odd integer greater than 1, each inverter having a signal input terminal and a signal output terminal and including a first transistor with source, drain and gate electrodes, the gate electrode being connected to the signal input terminal of the corresponding inverter and the drain electrode being connected to the signal output terminal of the corresponding inverter;
- wherein at least one of the first transistors is an organic transistor having a conduction path whose conductivity is responsive to presence of an odor with the signal output terminal of each inverter being connected to the signal input terminal of the next inverter in the series.
A gas sensor comprising:
- N inverters, where N is an odd integer greater than 1, wherein each one of said inverters has a signal input terminal and a signal output terminal;
- each inverter having a first transistor of first conductivity and a second transistor of a complementary conductivity type;
- the first and second transistors of each inverter being interconnected to form an inverter, one of the first and second transistors of one of the inverters being an organic transistor which is responsive to an analyte;
- and
- the N inverters being connected in a cascade, with the signal output terminal of the last inverter of the cascade being connected to the signal input terminal of the first inverter of the cascade to form a ring oscillator.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- an odor-sensitive organic transistor having a semiconductor channel exposed to ambient odors;
- and
- an odor-insensitive organic transistor having a semiconductor channel protected from ambient odors, the two transistors being interconnected together to generate an output signal dependent on currents flowing through the two transistors and on whether an ambient odor is present.
A gas sensor comprising:
- a ring oscillator including at least one organic field effect transistor (OFET), the ring oscillator having frequency of oscillation that is a function of whether at least one of selected odors is present;
- and
- a circuit responsive to the frequency of oscillation of the ring oscillator and configured to provide an indication of when the oscillations of the oscillator are within or outside a predetermined range.
An odor sensing circuit including:
- an organic field effect transistor (OFET) having source and drain electrodes defining the ends of a conduction path and a gate electrode;
- the conductivity of the conduction path of said OFET changing in response to selected odors incident on the OFET and in response to the value of voltages applied to the gate electrode;
- circuitry for biasing the OFET so it is responsive to the application of odors;
- and
- circuitry for applying an alternating signal to the gate of the OFET for enhancing its recovery to the condition existing prior to the application of any odors.
2 more elements
An analyte sensor comprising:
- first and second power terminals for the application of an operating potential therebetween;
- first and second organic field effect transistors (OFETs) responsive to the presence of an analyte, each one of said OFETs having source, drain and gate electrodes;
- the source and drain of the first OFET being connected between said first power terminal and a first node;
- the gate electrode of the second OFET being connected to the first node;
- and
- the source and drain of the second OFET being connected between a second node for producing thereat a signal indicative of the presence of said analyte and one of said first and second power terminals.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.