Patent ID: 8940548
Filing Date: 2015-01-27
Classification: B82Y,G01N,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for sensing biomolecules in an electrolyte, the method comprising: exposing a gate dielectric surface of a sensor comprising a plurality of silicon fins to the electrolyte, wherein the gate dielectric surface comprises a dielectric material that substantially covers an upper surface of the sensor and antibodies configured to bind with the biomolecules; applying a gate voltage to an electrode immersed in the electrolyte; and measuring a change in a drain current flowing in one or more of the plurality of the silicon fins; and determining an amount of the biomolecules that are present in the electrolyte based on the change in the drain current; wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of fin field effect transistors (finFETs), each of the plurality of silicon fins comprises a channel of each of the plurality of the finFETs and a planar field effect transistor (FET) located between two adjacent silicon fins, the planer FET having a width approximately equal to a distance separating the adjacent silicon fins, wherein the width of the planar FET is approximately 5% to 20% larger than a diameter of the biomolecules to be sensed.