Apparatus and method for detection and quantification of biological and chemical analytes

1. A sensing method for identifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing method comprising:

supplying said analytical sample to a sample chamber, said sample chamber being at least partially delimited by a first electrode and a second electrode;

providing a holding voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, whereby said analyte polarizes and diffuses towards one of said electrodes forming an electrode-electrolyte interface;

providing a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes and determining a current-voltage profile of said analytical sample;

identifying said analyte based on said current-voltage profile;

determining a sample electrical mobility and a sample Debye volume respectively corresponding to electrical mobility and Debye volume characterizing said analytical sample; and

determining a material index as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume and deviation of said sample electrical mobility from a reference electrical mobility, wherein said material index uniquely corresponds to said analyte, whereby said analyte is identified.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining a sample leakage current, a sample conductivity, and a sample ideality parameter respectively corresponding to leakage current, conductivity, and ideality parameter characterizing said analytical sample based on said current-voltage profile; and calculating said sample electrical mobility based on said sample conductivity and said sample ideality parameter.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said reference Debye volume and said reference electrical mobility correspond respectively to Debye volume and electrical mobility of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.

4. A sensing method for quantifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing method comprising:

supplying said analytical sample to a sample chamber, said sample chamber being at least partially delimited by a first electrode and a second electrode,

providing a holding voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, whereby said analyte polarizes and diffuses towards one of said electrodes forming an electrode-electrolyte interface,

providing a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes and determining a capacitance-voltage profile of said analytical sample,

quantifying said analyte based on said capacitance-voltage profile,

determining a sample doping concentration and a sample Debye volume respectively corresponding to doping concentration and Debye volume characterizing said analytical sample, and

determining an analyte quantity as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample doping concentration from a reference doping concentration and deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume, wherein said reference Debye volume and said reference doping concentration correspond respectively to Debye volume and doping concentration of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said sample doping concentration is calculated based on inverse of slope of capacitance (1/C 2 ) plotted against voltage (V).

6. A sensing method for quantifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing method comprising:

supplying said analytical sample to a sample chamber, said sample chamber being at least partially delimited by a first electrode and a second electrode;

providing a holding voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, whereby said analyte polarizes and diffuses towards one of said electrodes forming an electrode-electrolyte interface;

providing a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes and determining a capacitance-voltage profile of said analytical sample;

quantifying said analyte based on said capacitance-voltage profile; and

determining a sample Debye volume corresponding to Debye volume characterizing said analytical sample and determining an analyte quantity as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume and a unit volume of said analyte, wherein said reference Debye volume corresponds to Debye volume of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.

7. A sensing device for identifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing device comprising:

a sample chamber configured for holding said analytical sample;

a first electrode and a second electrode, said electrodes being at least partially delimiting said sample chamber;

a controlled voltage source, said controlled voltage source being electrically coupled to said first and said second electrodes, and said controlled voltage source being configured for providing a holding voltage and a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, and

a measurement module, said measurement module configured for measuring variation of an electrical current through said sample chamber under said pulsating sweep voltage applied across said electrodes to generate a current-voltage profile of said analytical sample, and further configured for identifying said analyte in said analytical sample based on said current-voltage profile, wherein said measurement module is configured for determining a sample electrical mobility and a sample Debye volume respectively corresponding to electrical mobility and Debye volume characterizing said analytical sample and wherein said measurement module is further configured for determining a material index as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume and deviation of said sample electrical mobility from a reference electrical mobility, wherein said material index uniquely corresponds to said analyte, whereby said analyte is identified.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said measurement module is further configured for determining a sample leakage current, a sample conductivity, and a sample ideality parameter respectively corresponding to leakage current, conductivity, and ideality parameter characterizing said analytical sample based on said current-voltage profile; and calculating said sample electrical mobility based on said sample conductivity and said sample ideality parameter.

9. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said reference Debye volume and said reference electrical mobility correspond respectively to Debye volume and electrical mobility of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.

10. A sensing device for quantifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing device comprising:

a sample chamber configured for holding said analytical sample,

a first electrode and a second electrode, said electrodes being at least partially delimiting said sample chamber,

a controlled voltage source, said controlled voltage source being electrically coupled to said first and said second electrodes, and said controlled voltage source being configured for providing a holding voltage and a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, and

a measurement module, said measurement module configured for measuring variation of a capacitance across said electrodes under said pulsating sweep voltage applied across said electrodes to generate a capacitance-voltage profile of said analytical sample, further configured for quantifying said analyte in said analytical sample based on said capacitance-voltage profile, and wherein said measurement module is further configured for determining an analyte quantity as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample doping concentration from a reference doping concentration and deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume, wherein said reference Debye volume and said reference doping concentration correspond respectively to Debye volume and doping concentration of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein said sample doping concentration is calculated based on inverse of slope of capacitance (1/C 2 ) plotted against voltage (V).

12. A sensing device for quantifying an analyte in an analytical sample, said sensing device comprising:

a sample chamber configured for holding said analytical sample,

a first electrode and a second electrode, said electrodes being at least partially delimiting said sample chamber,

a controlled voltage source, said controlled voltage source being electrically coupled to said first and said second electrodes, and said controlled voltage source being configured for providing a holding voltage and a pulsating sweep voltage across said first and said second electrodes, such that a potential gradient is formed across said sample chamber, and

a measurement module, said measurement module configured for measuring variation of a capacitance across said electrodes under said pulsating sweep voltage applied across said electrodes to generate a capacitance-voltage profile of said analytical sample, further configured for quantifying said analyte in said analytical sample based on said capacitance-voltage profile, wherein said measurement module is further configured for determining a sample Debye volume corresponding to Debye volume characterizing said analytical sample and determining an analyte quantity as modulus of a ratio of deviation of said sample Debye volume from a reference Debye volume and a unit volume of said analyte, wherein said reference Debye volume corresponds to Debye volume of a reference sample, wherein said reference sample is selected from a set of reference samples based on said analytical sample.