Patent ID: 8106428

Claim:
A device, comprising: an electrically-insulating substrate; and a first detecting unit, comprising: a source electrode disposed on said electrically-insulating substrate; a drain electrode; and a dielectric layer having a substantially uniform thickness and at least one exposed side; wherein said dielectric layer is disposed between said source electrode and said drain electrode; wherein said dielectric layer is contiguous with said drain electrode; wherein said source electrode, said drain electrode and said dielectric layer are self aligned on said at least one exposed side of said dielectric layer; a first self-assembling monolayer attached to and in contact with said at least one exposed side of said dielectric layer; a second self-assembling monolayer attached to and in contact with said source electrode and said drain electrode; wherein said second self-assembling monolayer has a polarity different than the polarity of said first self-assembling monolayer; and at least one capture unit, comprising: a nanoparticle; and a plurality of first single-stranded oligonucleotides attached to said nanoparticle; wherein said first single-stranded oligonucleotides have a first nucleotide sequence complementary to a portion of a first oligonucleotide target; and wherein said capture unit is located on said exposed side of said dielectric layer and is substantially centered between said source electrode and said drain electrode.