IP Library Granted Patent US 10,908,138
Granted Patent B2
US 10,908,138 · App. 16/151,399 · Granted Feb 2, 2021

Device having a array of sensors on a single chip

Inventors: Abhishek Motayed (Rockville, MD); Geetha Aluri (Clifton Park, NY); Albert V. Davydov (North Potomac, MD); Mulpuri V. Rao (Fairfax Station, VA); Vladimir P. Oleshko (Gaithersburg, MD); Ritu Bajpai (Santa Clara, CA); Mona E. Zaghloul (Bethesda, MD)
G01N33/0057G01N27/127G01N33/004G01N33/005G01N33/0031G01N33/0037G01N33/0042G01N33/0044G01N33/0047G01N33/0049G01N33/0054Y02A50/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,908,138
App. No.
16/151,399
Granted
Feb 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A nanostructure sensing device comprises a semiconductor nanostructure having an outer surface, and at least one of metal or metal-oxide nanoparticle clusters functionalizing the outer surface of the nanostructure and forming a photoconductive nanostructure/nanocluster hybrid sensor enabling light-assisted sensing of a target analyte.

Claims (26)

1. One or more particle gas sensors on a chip, which sensors are configured to detect at least one type of gas, the device comprising:

a chip having a first semiconductor layer on top of a substrate layer;

a plurality of semiconductor electrodes etched from the first semiconductor layer; and

an adsorption layer for at least some of the one or more particle gas sensors which adsorbs a first type of gas and a first interfering compound, which adsorption layer includes deposits of either (a) first metal oxide particles and second metal oxide particles on a first subset of the plurality of semiconductor electrodes or (b) third metal oxide particles and first metal particles on the first subset of semiconductor electrodes.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more particle gas sensors on the single chip are a same type of gas sensor configured to detect a single type of gas.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor layer is made from GaN.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more particle sensors on the single chip detect one or more of NO x , SO x , CO x , NH 3 and H 2 O, where x is an integer value.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the etching of the first semiconductor layer is performed using at least one of reactive ion etching (RIE) or wet chemical etching.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein a buffer layer is provided between the first semiconductor layer and the substrate layer.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein all of the particles have a diameter of less than 200 nm.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate layer is made from one of Si and Sapphire.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one type of gas is at least two types of gases, the device further comprising:

another adsorption layer for at least some of the one or more particle gas sensors which adsorbs a second type of gas and a second interfering compound, which adsorption layer includes deposits of either (c) fourth metal oxide particles and fifth metal oxide particles on a second subset of the plurality of semiconductor electrodes or (d) sixth metal oxide particles and second metal particles on the second subset of semiconductor electrodes.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more particle sensors on the single chip detect two of NO x , SO x , CO x , NH 3 and H 2 O where x is an integer value.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein said one or more particle sensors exhibit a change in output upon detection of said at least one type of gas, said output selected from the group consisting of current, voltage and resistance.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein said one or more particle sensors enable detection of said at least one type of gas within a carrier gas of air, nitrogen or argon.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein said one or more particle sensors exhibit increased conductivity upon exposure to said at least one type of gas in the presence of UV excitation.

14. One or more particle gas sensors on a single chip, which sensors are configured to detect at least one type of gas, the device comprising:

a single chip having a first semiconductor layer on top of a substrate layer;

a plurality of semiconductor electrodes etched from the first semiconductor layer; and

an adsorption layer for at least some of the one or more particle gas sensors which adsorbs a first type of gas and a first interfering compound, which adsorption layer includes deposits of either (a) first metal oxide particles and second metal oxide particles on a first subset of the plurality of semiconductor electrodes or (b) third metal oxide particles and first metal particles on the first subset of semiconductor electrodes.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more gas sensors on the single chip are a same type of gas sensor configured to detect a single type of gas.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the first semiconductor layer is made from GaN.

17. The device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more sensors on the single chip detect one or more of NO x , SO x , CO x , NH 3 and H 2 O where x is an integer value.

18. The device of claim 14 , wherein the etching of the first semiconductor layer is performed using at least one of reactive ion etching (RIE) or wet chemical etching.

19. The device of claim 14 , wherein a buffer layer is provided between the first semiconductor layer and the substrate layer.

Continuity (8)
Continuation 15891709 · Feb 8, 2018
Continuation 15297693 · Oct 19, 2016
Continuation In Part 13861962 · Apr 12, 2013
Provisional Application 61775305 · Mar 8, 2013
Provisional Application 61730865 · Nov 28, 2012
Provisional Application 61625511 · Apr 17, 2012
Provisional Application 61623957 · Apr 13, 2012
Related Publication 20190033277A1 · Jan 31, 2019