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Publication Number
US-12188914-B2
Publication Date
2025-01-07
Expiration Date
Abstract
Ultrasensitive, decoupled thermodynamic sensing platforms for the molecular-level detection of target analytes are disclosed, wherein the sensors have a heating resistor decoupled from a sensing resistor. Embodiments of the decoupled sensor comprise a metallic microheater resistor on one side of substrate, and a sensor resistor coupled to a catalyst on the other side of the substrate. A sensor array may be provided including a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst that, when exposed to an analyte, each experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously obtained reaction results may be used to determine the presence and the identity of the analyte. Advantageously, the decoupled sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity than other-known systems, and may be used to detect and identify a single molecule of an analyte.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an ultrasensitive decoupled thermodynamic sensing system for detecting an analyte. A metallic microheater resistor is thermally decoupled from a thin-film sensing resistor and an associated catalyst layer by positioning them on opposite sides of an ultrathin YSZ substrate. This decoupled arrangement enables detection based on endothermic and/or exothermic heat effects generated at the sensing location.
A detection device is configured with a first sensor and a second sensor in thermal communication with a controller. The first sensor includes a first microheater layer, a first sensor layer, and a first catalyst layer, with the first microheater layer separated from the first sensor layer by a first substrate layer; the second sensor includes a second microheater layer separated from the second sensor layer. The controller causes heating to a first setpoint temperature and a second setpoint temperature and, in response to an endothermic and/or exothermic reaction at the first and/or second sensor, applies a second amount of power to maintain the setpoints.
The controller determines a measurement of the difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power and uses this measurement to determine an existence, identity, and/or concentration of an analyte. Sensor arrays use different catalyst layers to generate distinct endothermic/exothermic heat effects, and the determination is supported by comparing measured power changes to stored reaction-response data.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes three independent claims: clm-00001 (detection device), clm-00020 (method), and clm-00021 (detection device). Each claim centers on detecting heat effects from endothermic/exothermic reactions using microheater-based structures and power and power-difference measurements to determine an analyte’s existence, identity, and/or concentration.
Dual microheater sensors with catalyst-coupled first sensor
The detection device includes a first sensor with a first microheater layer, a first sensor layer, and a first catalyst layer thermally coupled to the first sensor layer, where the first microheater layer is separated from the first sensor layer by a first substrate layer, and a second sensor with a second microheater layer separated from a second sensor layer.
Setpoint maintenance with power difference measurement
The controller heats the first and second sensor layers to a first setpoint temperature and a second setpoint temperature, applies a second amount of power to maintain the setpoint temperatures in response to an endothermic and/or exothermic reaction at the first and/or second sensor, and determines a measurement of the difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power.
Analyte determination from thermodynamic power change measurement
The controller determines an existence, identity, and/or concentration of an analyte based on the measurement of the power difference.
Analyte exposure and power-maintenance-based determination
The method provides a sensor array with a first sensor including a first microheater layer, a first sensor layer, and a first catalyst layer thermally coupled to the first sensor layer with a first substrate separation, and a second sensor including a second microheater layer separated from a second sensor layer; it delivers a first amount of power to heat to first and second setpoint temperatures, exposes the array to an analyte to permit a reaction, delivers a second amount of power to maintain the setpoints, determines a measurement of the difference between the first amount of power and the second amount of power, and determines an existence, identity, and/or concentration of the analyte based on the measurement.
Layered heat-effect detection using catalyst reaction
The detection device includes a first layer comprising a microheater, a second layer in contact with the first layer comprising a substrate, a third layer in contact with the second layer comprising a resistor, and a fourth layer in contact with the third layer comprising a catalyst, and is configured to detect a heat effect resulting from a chemical reaction between the catalyst and the analyte, where the heat effect is indicative of the existence, identity, and/or concentration of the analyte.
Overall, the claim set emphasizes microheater-based thermodynamic detection in which sensed reactions cause endothermic and/or exothermic heat effects that are quantified via power and power-difference measurements to determine an analyte’s existence, identity, and/or concentration, with an alternative layered catalyst-heat-effect detection configuration.
Stated Advantages
Reduced operating power, including operating power from about 450 mW to about 3 mW at 175°C.
Operation below 175°C.
Demonstration of single-molecule-level detection for vapor analytes, including detection of explosive RDX/HMX at femtogram/sub-femtogram quantities.
Demonstration of near single-molecule conditions for glucose.
Documented Applications
Vapor analyte detection for explosives and narcotics/VOCs, including RDX, HMX, TATP, DNT, and specified volatile organic compounds.
Healthcare and biomarker detection using breath, skin, or sweat, including detection of proteins, DNA, RNA, and small molecules <1 kDa, and examples referencing chronic kidney disease (CKD), Alzheimer’s, cancer, and diabetes.
Wearables and breathalyzer use cases are described as targeted applications for the sensing system.
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