Devices and methods for selective detection of cannabinoids
Inventors
Shuhendler, Adam • Lessard, Benoit • HARRIS, CORY • COMEAU, Zachary John • BOILEAU, Nicholas Tyler
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12613218-B2
Publication Date
2026-04-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems, devices, and methods for detecting cannabinoids in liquid or gaseous samples. In one aspect, the present invention uses a sensor element and two electrical circuit elements. When the sensor element is in contact with a sample containing cannabinoid, interactions between the sensor element and the cannabinoid changes or affects the sensor element's electrochemical properties. Using the two electrical circuit elements, this change can be detected. An analog signal relating to the changed electrochemical properties can be measured using the two electrical circuit elements. In one implementation, there is provided an organic field effect transistor (OFET) whose signal changes when in contact with a cannabinoid containing sample.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a system and device for determining a presence of a substance in a sample, wherein the substance is a cannabinoid. A sensor element is sensitized to cannabinoids by a probe layer comprising an alkaline solution of a diazonium salt, and interactions between the sensor element, the probe layer, and the substance affect at least one electrochemical property of the sensor element.
The sensor element comprises an organic semiconducting material that includes at least one of CuPc, F16CuPc, FePc, AlClPc, ts-CuPc, H2Pc, CoPc, or tbt-CuPc. In an OFET circuit within an integrated circuit, the sensor element is arranged between electrical circuit elements, and sensing relies on changes to electrochemical properties that affect an electrical readout.
The method detects cannabinoids by contacting a sample with a sensor element and measuring an analog signal indicative of one or more electrochemical properties. The method determines that at least one cannabinoid is present if the analog signal indicates a change in the electrochemical properties caused by interactions between the cannabinoid, the probe, and the sensor element.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover an OFET-based system, an OFET/electrochemical detection device with defined sensor layers and readout by measuring current, and a corresponding method. Across the independent claims, the core inventive concept comprises sensitization of an organic semiconducting sensor element with an alkaline diazonium-salt probe layer and detection based on electrochemical-property-driven electrical effects.
Ofet circuit sensitized by alkaline diazonium probe layer
A system for determining a presence of a cannabinoid in a sample, comprising first and second electrical circuit elements and a sensor element between them, wherein the sensor element includes at least one of CuPc, F16CuPc, FePc, AlClPc, ts-CuPc, H2Pc, CoPc, or tbt-CuPc, and wherein the sensor element is treated with a probe layer comprising an alkaline solution of a diazonium salt such that the sensor element is sensitized to cannabinoids, and wherein interactions between the sensor element, the probe layer, and the cannabinoid affect at least one electrochemical property, with the first electrical circuit element, the second electrical circuit element, and the sensor element forming an OFET circuit within an integrated circuit.
Ofet sensor device measuring current from probe-sensitized organic semiconductor
A device for detecting at least one cannabinoid in a sample, comprising an electrochemical sensor with a gate layer, a dielectric layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an organic semiconducting layer between the source electrode and drain electrode, wherein the organic semiconducting layer is modified with a probe comprising an alkaline solution of a diazonium salt such that the organic semiconducting layer is sensitized to cannabinoids and comprises at least one of CuPc, F16CuPc, FePc, AlClPc, ts-CuPc, H2Pc, CoPc, or tbt-CuPc, and further comprising a voltage source electrically coupled to the gate layer and the source electrode and processing means for measuring current flow to detect a current level indicative of presence and/or levels of the substance, wherein interactions between the organic semiconducting layer, the probe, and the substance affect at least one electrochemical property, and wherein the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the organic semiconducting layer form an OFET circuit within an integrated circuit.
Method contacting probe-sensitized sensor and detecting analog signal change
A method for determining a presence of a cannabinoid in a sample, comprising contacting the sample with a sensor element, measuring an analog signal indicative of one or more electrochemical properties of the sensor element, and determining that at least one cannabinoid is present if the analog signal indicates a change in the electrochemical properties, wherein the sensor element is treated with a probe layer prior to contacting to sensitize the sensor element to cannabinoids, wherein the probe layer comprises an alkaline solution of a diazonium salt, and wherein the sensor element comprises at least one of CuPc, F16CuPc, FePc, AlClPc, ts-CuPc, H2Pc, CoPc, or tbt-CuPc.
Across the independent claims, the claims coverage centers on an OFET-integrated electrochemical sensing approach where an organic semiconducting sensor element is sensitized using an alkaline diazonium-salt probe layer, and cannabinoid presence is determined by electrical changes that reflect affected electrochemical properties in an OFET circuit.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
Air monitoring for law enforcement, including a monitoring badge.
Quality control in production containers for cannabinoid-related detection.
Detection in vaping devices, including a vaping device and a clinical metered dosing context described as a clinical vaping device.
Detection in filters/fillable cigarettes, including a filter and a fillable cigarette.
Use in determining cannabinoid presence with a user device integrated into wearable/consumer device types including wearable badge, wall-mounted device, built-in device for containers, built-in device for vessels, consumer vaping device, consumer vaping accessory, filter, and a fillable cigarette.
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