Patent ID: 7989198

Claim:
A molecular detector capable of detecting molecules in solution comprising: a solution reservoir; at least one biofunctionalized nanometer-scale mechanical resonator disposed within the reservoir; a driver element adapted to mechanically displace the mechanical resonator at a one or more frequencies; a detector in signal communication with the at least one resonator for measuring a damping of resonance motion of the resonator driven by the driver element in response to a molecular binding event on the resonator, and at least two resonators arranged adjacent to the biofunctionalized nanometer-scale mechanical resonator within the reservoir, wherein at least one of the resonators is a driver resonator comprising a driver element capable of mechanically displacing the first driver resonator at a chosen frequency; wherein at least one of the resonators is a second driver resonator comprising a driver element capable of mechanically displacing the second driver resonator at a chosen frequency; and at least one of the resonators is a follower resonator disposed between the two driver resonators and biofunctionalized with a ligand; wherein the driver resonators are driven in antiphase, and wherein at least one of the driver resonators is biofunctionalized with a receptor capable of molecular interaction with the ligand on the follower resonator.