US 12,222,350 B1
Differential sensor measurement methods and structures
Pritiraj Mohanty, Beverly Hills, CA (US); and Shyamsunder Erramilli, Quincy, MA (US)
Assigned to FemtoDx, Inc., Beverly Hills, CA (US)
Filed by FemtoDx, Inc., Beverly Hills, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 22, 2016, as Appl. No. 15/242,755.
Application 15/242,755 is a continuation of application No. 14/510,178, filed on Oct. 9, 2014, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/888,830, filed on Oct. 9, 2013.
Int. Cl. G01N 33/543 (2006.01); C12Q 1/00 (2006.01); H01L 29/06 (2006.01); H01L 29/16 (2006.01); H01L 29/78 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 33/5438 (2013.01) [C12Q 1/001 (2013.01); H01L 29/0649 (2013.01); H01L 29/0669 (2013.01); H01L 29/16 (2013.01); H01L 29/78 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A structure comprising:
a first semiconductor nanosensor functionalized with a detector species, the first semiconductor nanosensor comprising a first input pad electrically connected to a first end of the first semiconductor nanosensor and a first detection pad electrically connected to a second end of the first semiconductor nanosensor opposite the first end;
a second semiconductor nanosensor functionalized with a detector species and in electrical communication with the first semiconductor nanosensor, the second semiconductor sensor comprising a second input pad electrically connected to a first end of the second semiconductor nanosensor and a second detection pad electrically connected to a second end of the second semiconductor nanosensor opposite the first end; and
a phase shifter electrically coupled with the first input pad of the first semiconductor nanosensor, the second input pad of the second semiconductor nanosensor, and a voltage source, wherein the phase shifter is configured to produce a first signal that is applied to the first input pad and a second signal having a phase that is shifted in phase by 180° relative to the first signal that is applied to the second input pad;
wherein the first semiconductor nanosensor and the second semiconductor nanosensor are configured to output a differential electrical property between the first semiconductor nanosensor and the second semiconductor nanosensor when exposed to a sample comprising an analyte,
wherein the first and second semiconductor nanosensors comprise one or more nanowires that are functionalized with the detector species and the nanowires have a cross-sectional dimension of less than or equal to about 150 nm; and
wherein the nanowires of the first and the second semiconductor nanosensor include an aluminum oxide coating and a thickness of the aluminum oxide coating on the nanowires of the first semiconductor nanosensor is greater than a thickness of the aluminum oxide coating on the nanowires of the second semiconductor nanosensor.