Field effect transistor, device including the transistor, and methods of forming and using same

Inventors

Takulapalli, Bharath • Jain, Abhinav

Assignees

INANOBIO LLC

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an improved field effect transistor and device that can be used to sense and characterize a variety of materials. The field effect transistor and/or device including the transistor may be used for a variety of applications, including genome sequencing, protein sequencing, biomolecular sequencing, and detection of ions, molecules, chemicals, biomolecules, metal atoms, polymers, nanoparticles and the like.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an improved field-effect transistor (FET) nanopore device architecture and use for sensing and characterizing materials. It forms an etch region that includes a nanopore and provides a proximate insulating region and a semiconductor channel whose electrical state is modulated by signals from material translocating through the nanopore.

The architecture includes a buried insulating region formed proximate to the etch region, and a semiconductor layer overlying the buried insulating region. A source region and a drain region are formed using portions of the semiconductor layer, and a channel spans between the source region and the drain region.

The described fabrication concepts include etch-defined nanoscale nanopore formation integrated with SIMOX and anneal to form buried insulating region(s) separating a semiconductor layer and a buried semiconductor material. The document further describes using implantation-barrier masks and SIMOX processing on opposing surfaces to create the insulating structure, followed by forming the semiconductor channel, source, and drain regions, and optionally overlaying thin-film or biological interfaces such as lipid bilayers or biological nanopore proteins.

For use, the document describes sensing and characterizing materials including DNA, proteins, ions, molecules, and particles, including sequencing-related approaches. It describes potential-coupled and charge-coupled sensing and sequencing approaches using unmodified ssDNA, hybridization probes, and chemically modified DNA.

Claims Coverage

The partial document provides four independent claims (clm-00001, clm-00010, clm-00019, clm-00020). The claims cover a method of forming a sensor device and corresponding sensor/device structures centered on forming an etch region with a nanopore together with SIMOX- and anneal-produced buried insulating regions and a semiconductor layer forming source, drain, and a channel that spans between them.

Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on integrating an etch region containing a nanopore with a SIMOX-produced buried insulating region and a semiconductor layer that defines source, drain, and a channel spanning between them, with one claim additionally requiring that the buried insulating region isolates the semiconductor layer and a buried semiconductor material.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications