Sensor arrays and methods for making same
A system includes a sensor including a sensor pad and includes a well wall structure defining a well operatively connected to the sensor pad. The sensor pad is associated with a lower surface of the well. The well wall structure defines an upper surface and a wall surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface. The upper surface is defined by an upper buffer material having an intrinsic buffer capacity of at least 2×10 17 groups/m 2 . The wall surface is defined by a wall material having an intrinsic buffer capacity of not greater than 1.7×10 17 groups/m 2 .
1. A system comprising:
a sensor including a sensor pad; and
a well wall structure defining a well operatively connected to the sensor pad, the sensor pad associated with a lower surface of the well, the well wall structure defining an upper surface and a wall surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, the upper surface defined by an upper buffer material having an intrinsic buffer capacity of at least 2×10 17 groups/m 2 and not greater than 1×10 21 groups/m 2 , the wall surface being defined by a wall material having an intrinsic buffer capacity of not greater than 1.7×10 17 groups/m 2 .
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper buffer material has an intrinsic buffer capacity of at least 4×10 17 groups/m 2 .
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the well is defined by a lower buffer material disposed over the sensor pad.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the lower buffer material has an intrinsic buffer capacity of at least 2×10 17 groups/m 2 .
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the upper buffer material and the lower buffer material are the same.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper buffer material includes an inorganic material.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper buffer material includes a ceramic material.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the ceramic material includes an oxide of aluminum, hafnium, tantalum, zirconium, or a combination thereof.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wall material includes an inorganic material.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the inorganic material includes a ceramic material.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the ceramic material includes a nitride of silica or titanium.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the ceramic material includes an oxide of silicon.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the inorganic material includes a metal material.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wall material includes an organic material.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the organic material includes a polymeric material.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor and wall structure are integral to an electronic component.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the electronic component is disposed in cooperation with a flow chamber to place the sensor and the well wall structure in fluid communication with an aqueous solution.
18. A method of forming a sensor system, the method comprising:
forming a structural layer over a sensor device, the sensor device including a sensor pad, the structural layer including a structural material having an intrinsic buffer capacity of not greater than 1.7×10 17 groups/m 2 ;
forming a buffer layer over the structural layer, the buffer layer including a buffer material having an intrinsic buffer capacity of at least 2×10 17 groups/m 2 and not greater than 1×10 21 groups/m 2 ; and
etching the buffer layer and the structural layer to define a well operatively connected to the sensor pad.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the structural material has an intrinsic buffer capacity of not greater than 1×10 17 groups/m 2 .
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the buffer material has an intrinsic buffer capacity of at least 4×10 17 groups/m 2 .
21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising forming a passivation layer over the sensor pad prior to forming the structural layer, the passivation layer disposed between the sensor device and the structural layer.
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming the structural layer includes forming a first dielectric layer and forming a second dielectric layer, a material of the first dielectric layer being different from a material of the second dielectric layer.
23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising forming a third dielectric layer over the second dielectric layer, a material of the second dielectric layer being different from a material of the third dielectric layer.
24. A method of sequencing a polynucleotide, the method comprising:
applying a particle comprising a plurality of copies of a polynucleotide to a well of a system comprising:
a sensor including a sensor pad; and
a well wall structure defining a well operatively connected to the sensor pad, the sensor pad associated with a lower surface of the well, the well wall structure defining an upper surface and a wall surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, the upper surface defined by an upper buffer material having an intrinsic buffer capacity of at least 2×10 17 groups/m 2 and not greater than 1×10 21 groups/m 2 , the wall surface being defined by a wall material having an intrinsic buffer capacity of not greater than 1.7×10 17 groups/m 2 ;
exposing the particle to an aqueous solution including a nucleotide; and
measuring a response of the device to the exposing.