Method and apparatus for biochemical sensor array with integrated charge based readout circuitry
AssigneeMikro-Tasarim Elektronik San. ve Tic. A.S.
InventorsSelim Eminoglu, Haluk Külah
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Abstract
A MEMS biochemical sensor configured to sense a target molecule, such as a DNA molecule, a protein molecule, and a viruses molecule. The biochemical sensor may include a cell and a readout module. The cell is configured to be coupled to a probe molecule, to retain a pre-sensing charge before the probe molecule is exposed to the target molecule, and to retain a sensing charge after the probe molecule is exposed to the target molecule. The readout module is coupled to the cell and configured to generate a measurement signal based on the pre-sensing charge and the sensing charge.
Claims19
A MEMS biochemical sensor configured to sense a target molecule, the biochemical sensor comprising:
- a sensor array having a plurality of cells that are formed on a MEMS substrate, a respective cell of the plurality of cells being configured to be coupled to a probe molecule, the respective cell being configured to retain a pre-sensing charge before the probe molecule is exposed to a target molecule and to retain a sensing charge after the probe molecule is exposed to the target molecule;
- and
- a readout module on the MEMS substrate and coupled to the respective cell, the readout module being configured to generate a measurement signal based on at least one of the pre-sensing charge of the respective cell or the sensing charge of the respective cell.
A MEMS biochemical sensing system configured to sense a plurality of target molecules, the biochemical sensing system comprising:
- a chip having:
- a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells configured to be coupled to at least one of a plurality of probe molecules, to retain a pre-sensing charge before the plurality of probe molecules are exposed to a plurality of target molecules, and configured to retain a sensing charge after the plurality of probe molecules are exposed to the plurality of target molecules;
- and
- a readout module selectively coupled to at least one of the plurality of cells and configured to generate a plurality of measurement signals, each of the plurality of measurement signals being based on the pre-sensing charge and the sensing charge of one of the plurality of cells.
A MEMS cell configured to sense a target molecule comprising:
- a first layer configured to be coupled to a probe molecule and then to a target molecule;
- and
- a second layer dielectrically coupled to the first layer such that the second layer is not directly connected to the first layer, the second layer being configured to retain a pre-sensing charge after the first layer is coupled to the probe molecule and to retain a sensing charge that corresponds to a charge carried by the target molecule after the probe molecule is exposed to the target molecule.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.