Patent ID: 8415177
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: C12Q,G01J,G01N,G01R,H01L,H04N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for operating an array of pixels, at least some pixels in the array comprising a chemically-sensitive field-effect transistor (chemFET) including a first source/drain terminal and a second source/drain terminal, and a floating gate coupled to a passivation layer, and further comprising a select transistor including a first source/drain terminal, a second source/drain terminal, and a gate terminal, wherein the first source/drain terminal of the second transistor is directly connected to the first source/drain terminal of the chemFET, the method comprising: selecting a pixel in the array of pixels, wherein the second source/drain terminal of the chemFET of the selected pixel is directly connected to a first line, and the second source/drain terminal of the select transistor of the selected pixel is directly connected to a second line; applying a bias voltage to one of the first and second lines; applying a pass voltage to the gate terminal of the select transistor of the selected pixel during a read interval, thereby inducing current flow between the first line and the second line through the selected pixel to establish an output voltage level on the other of the first and second lines; and reading the selected pixel based on the output voltage level on the other of the first and second lines.