# US 8,772,764 B2 · Electro-chemical sensors, sensor arrays and circuits > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,764 B2 - Document ID: US8772764B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/725,630 - Filed: 2012-12-21 - Published: 2013-06-27 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-27 - Assignees: The Johns Hopkins University - Applicants: The Johns Hopkins University - Inventors: Howard E. Katz; Hoyoul Kong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772764B2 ## CPC - H10K 10/484: {characterised by the channel regions} - G01N 27/414: Ion-sensitive or chemical field-effect transistors, i.e. ISFETS or CHEMFETS - H10K 85/113: {Heteroaromatic compounds comprising sulfur or selene, e.g. polythiophene} - C08G 61/126: {with a five-membered ring containing one sulfur atom in the ring} - C08G 2261/1412: Saturated aliphatic units - C08G 2261/1422: containing OH groups - C08G 2261/1426: containing carboxy groups (COOH) and/or -C(=O)O-moieties - C08G 2261/3223: containing one or more sulfur atoms as the only heteroatom, e.g. thiophene - C08G 2261/364: containing hetero atoms - C08G 2261/92: TFT applications - C08G 2261/94: Applications in sensors, e.g. biosensors - G01N 33/0057: {Warfare agents or explosives} - H10K 10/466: {Lateral bottom-gate IGFETs comprising only a single gate} - H10K 71/30: Doping active layers, e.g. electron transporting layers - H10K 85/611: {Charge transfer complexes} - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - 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) - C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS ## Abstract An electro-chemical sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and a semiconductor channel in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes. The semiconductor channel includes a trapping material. The trapping material reduces an ability of the semiconductor channel to conduct a current of charge carriers by trapping at least some of the charge carriers to localized regions within the semiconductor channel. The semiconductor channel includes at least a portion configured to be exposed to an analyte to be detected, and the trapping material, when exposed to the analyte, interacts with the analyte so as to at least partially restore the ability of the semiconductor channel to conduct the current of charge carriers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electro-chemical sensor, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; and a semiconductor channel in electrical contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein said semiconductor channel comprises a trapping material, wherein said trapping material reduces an ability of said semiconductor channel to conduct a current of charge carriers by trapping at least some of said charge carriers to localized regions within said semiconductor channel, wherein said semiconductor channel comprises at least a portion configured to be exposed to an analyte to be detected, and wherein said trapping material, when exposed to said analyte, interacts with said analyte so as to at least partially restore the ability of said semiconductor channel to conduct said current of charge carriers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor channel comprises a p-type semiconductor such that said charge carriers are holes, wherein said trapping material is an electron donor material, and wherein said analyte is an electron acceptor material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor channel comprises an n-type semiconductor such that said charge carriers are electrons, wherein said trapping material is an electron acceptor material, and wherein said analyte is an electron donor material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor channel comprises an organic semiconductor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 4, wherein said trapping material is dispersed within said organic semiconductor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 5, wherein said trapping material is an organic material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 4, wherein said organic semiconductor is an organic polymer semiconductor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 7, wherein said trapping material is covalently attached to said organic polymer semiconductor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a third electrode arranged proximate said semiconductor channel to expose at least a portion to said semiconductor channel to a controllable electric field such that said first, second and third electrodes and said semiconductor channel together provide a field effect transistor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 9, further comprising a dielectric layer disposed between said third electrode and said semiconductor channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An electro-chemical sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible substrate upon which said semiconductor channel, said first electrode, and said second electrode are formed. ### Claim 12 An electro-chemical sensor array comprising a plurality of electro-chemical sensor elements, wherein at least one electro-chemical sensor element of said plurality of electro-chemical sensor elements comprises: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; and a semiconductor channel in electrical contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein said semiconductor channel comprises a trapping material, wherein said trapping material reduces an ability of said semiconductor channel to conduct a current of charge carriers by trapping at least some of said charge carriers to localized regions within said semiconductor channel, wherein said semiconductor channel comprises at least a portion configured to be exposed to an analyte to be detected, and wherein said trapping material, when exposed to said analyte, interacts with said analyte so as to at least partially restore the ability of said semiconductor channel to conduct said current of charge carriers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An electro-chemical sensor array according to claim 12, wherein said trapping material of a first electro-chemical sensor element of said plurality of electro-chemical sensor elements interacts with a first analyte, wherein a trapping material of a second electro-chemical sensor element of said plurality of electro-chemical sensor elements interacts with a second analyte, wherein said first trapping material is different from said second trapping material, and wherein said first analyte is different from said second analyte. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An electro-chemical sensor array according to claim 12, wherein at least a second electro-chemical sensor element of said plurality of electro-chemical sensor elements comprises: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; and a semiconductor channel in electrical contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein said analyte that interacts with said trapping material of the first mentioned electro-chemical sensor element interacts with said semiconductor channel of said second electro-chemical sensor element so as to decrease an ability of said semiconductor channel of said second electro-chemical sensor element to conduct a current of charge carriers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An electro-chemical sensor array according to claim 14, wherein a semiconducting material of said first electro-chemical sensor element and a semiconducting material of said second electro-chemical sensor element are substantially the same material and said semiconductor channel of said second electro-chemical sensor element is substantially free of trapping material. ### Claim 16 An electrical circuit comprising an electro-chemical sensor element, wherein said electro-chemical sensor element comprises: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; and a semiconductor channel in electrical contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein said semiconductor channel comprises a trapping material, wherein said trapping material reduces an ability of said semiconductor channel to conduct a current of charge carriers by trapping at least some of said charge carriers to localized regions within said semiconductor channel, wherein said semiconductor channel comprises at least a portion configured to be exposed to an analyte to be detected, and wherein said trapping material, when exposed to said analyte, interacts with said analyte so as to at least partially restore the ability of said semiconductor channel to conduct said current of charge carriers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) An electrical circuit according to claim 16, further comprising an electronic element that remains unaffected by exposure of said at least a portion of said electronic circuit to said analyte. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) An electrical circuit according to claim 16, further comprising a second electro-chemical sensor element comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode spaced apart from said first electrode; and a semiconductor channel in electrical contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein said analyte that interacts with said trapping material of the first mentioned electro-chemical sensor element interacts with said semiconductor channel of said second electro-chemical sensor element so as to decrease an ability of said semiconductor channel of said second electro-chemical sensor element to conduct a current of charge carriers. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electrical circuit according to claim 18, further comprising an inverter.