Optical COVID-19 detection system
Inventors
Berry, Vikas • Nguyen, Ngoc Hoang Lan • Kim, Sungjoon
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12681011-B2
Publication Date
2026-07-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
The disclosure provides example devices and methods for making and using the devices for rapid testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The example device includes (a) a substrate coupled to a metal oxide layer, (b) a graphene layer coupled to the metal oxide layer, (c) a chemical or biochemical linker functionalized with the graphene layer, and (d) a plurality of SARS-CoV-2 receptors that are bound to the graphene layer via the chemical or biochemical linker, wherein the plurality of SARS-CoV-2 receptors comprise SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies or SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, where the graphene layer is configured to have a first phononic energy, when the plurality of SARS-CoV-2 receptors are unattached to target molecules, and a second phononic energy, when the plurality of SARS-CoV-2 receptors are attached to target molecules.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an optical Raman/phononics COVID-19 detection system in which a substrate is coupled to a metal oxide layer and a graphene layer is coupled to the metal oxide layer. A chemical or biochemical linker is functionalized with the graphene layer, and a plurality of SARS-COV-2 receptors are bound to the graphene layer via the chemical or biochemical linker. The plurality of SARS-COV-2 receptors comprises SARS-COV-2 spike antibodies or SARS-COV-2 spike proteins.
When target molecules bind to the plurality of SARS-COV-2 receptors, the binding changes a phononic energy of the graphene layer from a first phononic energy to a second phononic energy. The optical access permits determination of the first phononic energy from the target location and determination of the second phononic energy from the target location via Raman spectroscopy. The document indicates that graphene doping and phononic energy change upon receptor/linker attachment.
The device includes a housing coupled to the substrate that provides unobstructed optical access to a target location on the graphene layer for Raman spectroscopy measurements. The housing comprises alignment features that enable repeatable positioning of the device relative to a Raman spectrometer for alignment of a laser with the target location on the graphene layer. The document describes using Raman spectroscopy to determine the presence of SARS-COV-2 target molecules by detecting changes in phononic energy at the target location.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides one independent claim (device claim 1). The inventive features cover a Raman-measurable graphene/metal-oxide sensor coupled to SARS-COV-2 receptors via a chemical or biochemical linker, where binding produces a measurable phononic-energy change detectable through an alignment-enabled optical housing, enabling Raman determination of first and second phononic energies at a target location.
Metal-oxide coupled graphene with functionalized linker and SARS-COV-2 receptors
A substrate coupled to a metal oxide layer; a graphene layer coupled to the metal oxide layer; a chemical or biochemical linker functionalized with the graphene layer; and a plurality of SARS-COV-2 receptors bound to the graphene layer via the chemical or biochemical linker, wherein the plurality of SARS-COV-2 receptors comprise SARS-COV-2 spike antibodies or SARS-COV-2 spike proteins.
Binding-induced phononic-energy change detectable by Raman spectroscopy
Binding of target molecules to the plurality of SARS-COV-2 receptors changes a phononic energy of the graphene layer from a first phononic energy to a second phononic energy.
Alignment-enabled optical housing for unobstructed Raman measurement at a target location
A housing coupled to the substrate that provides unobstructed optical access to a target location on the graphene layer for Raman spectroscopy measurements, wherein the housing comprises alignment features that enable repeatable positioning of the device relative to a Raman spectrometer for alignment of a laser with the target location on the graphene layer.
Raman determination of first and second phononic energies at the target location
The optical access permits determination of the first phononic energy from the target location and the second phononic energy from the target location via Raman spectroscopy.
Across the provided independent claim, the core coverage is a graphene layer coupled to a metal oxide layer and functionalized with a chemical or biochemical linker that binds SARS-COV-2 spike antibodies or SARS-COV-2 spike proteins, producing a binding-induced first-to-second phononic-energy change. The housing and alignment features enable repeatable Raman spectroscopy at a target location so that the first and second phononic energies are determined via Raman measurements.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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