US Patent:
20100297608, Nov 25, 2010
Inventors:
Eric D. Stern - New Haven CT, US
Tarek M. Fahmy - New Haven CT, US
Mark A. Reed - Monroe CT, US
Andrew Hamilton - Guilford CT, US
David A. Lavan - Hamden CT, US
James F. Klemic - New Haven CT, US
David A. Routenberg - New Haven CT, US
International Classification:
C12Q 1/70
H01L 29/772
H01L 21/302
C12Q 1/02
G01N 33/53
C12Q 1/68
US Classification:
435 5, 257253, 438689, 435 29, 435 71, 435 6, 257E29242, 257E21214
Abstract:
The systems and methods described herein include a sensor for suitable for sensing chemical and biological substances. The sensor comprises a semiconductor layer formed in or on a substrate and a channel having nano-scale dimensions formed in the semiconductor layer, where the structure creates an electrically conducting pathway between a first contact and a second contact on the semiconductor layer. In certain preferred embodiments, the nano-scale channel has a trapezoidal cross-section with an effective width and exposed lateral faces, where the effective width is selected to have same order of magnitude as a Debye length (L) of the semiconductor material of which the semiconductor layer is formed.