Patent ID: 7858918

Claim:
An amplified carbon nanotube sensor, comprising: a single carbon nanotube; a first plurality of electrical conductors, each conductor configured to form an electrical contact at a separate portion the carbon nanotube; a second plurality of electrical conductors, each conductor separated from the carbon nanotube by an electrically insulating material so that each of the second plurality of electrical conductors exerts an electric field on the carbon nanotube sufficient to form a gate of a field effect transistor; a current source formed in a first section of the carbon nanotube of at least one of the electrical contacts and at least one of the gates; a differential amplifier ladder formed in a second section of the carbon nanotube of at least one of the electrical contacts and at least one of the gates, and connected with the current source; at least one portion of the differential amplifier ladder comprising a first carbon nanotube sensor electrically responsive to a first incoming stimulus presented to the first carbon nanotube sensor; wherein the differential amplifier ladder and current source together operate as a differential amplifier configured to generate an outgoing signal responsive to the incoming stimulus.