Patent ID: 7112433
Filing Date: 2006-09-26
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A biochip device for electrical analysis of biological membranes, comprising: a substrate assembly defining an array of apertures and also defining fluid compartments, each aperture providing fluid communication between a pair of the fluid compartments disposed on opposing sides of the aperture, the substrate assembly including thin-film devices configured to sense an electrical property of biological membranes that seal the apertures; and an electrical interface coupled electrically to the thin-film devices and configured to electrically couple the thin-film devices to a control apparatus, the electrical interface defining a plurality of interface elements, the biochip device including a greater number of the apertures than of the interface elements, wherein the thin-film devices include an electrode and an other thin-film device adjacent each aperture, and wherein the other thin-film device is selected from the group consisting of heaters and ultrasonic transducers.