Patent ID: 7824619

Claim:
A sensor for detecting the presence of a target analyte comprising a nitro-containing explosive molecule, the sensor comprising: a support substrate; a pair of electrodes comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein said first and second electrodes comprise the same or different materials, and wherein at least one of said first and second electrodes is at the substrate; an electron donor molecule capable of forming an electron donor-acceptor complex with the nitro-containing explosive molecule, wherein the electron donor molecule is chemically bonded to said first electrode and to said second electrode, thereby forming a nanojunction between said first and second electrodes; a means for detecting a change in the electrical resistance or in the capacitance of the sensor when the electron donor molecule forms an electron donor-acceptor complex with the nitro-containing explosive molecule, wherein said means for detecting a change in the electrical resistance or in the capacitance of the sensor is electrically connected to said pair of electrodes, the sensor thereby detecting the presence of the nitro-containing explosive molecule.