US5571401A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Sensor arrays for detecting analytes in fluids
Assignee: California Institute of Technology
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Filing: 1995-03-27
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Granted: 1996-11-05
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Expires: 2015-03-27
Abstract
Abstract Chemical sensors for detecting analytes in fluids comprise first and second conductive elements (e.g. electrical leads) electrically coupled to and separated by a chemically sensitive resistor which provides an electrical path between the conductive elements. The resistor comprises a plurality of alternating nonconductive regions (comprising a nonconductive organic polymer) and conductive regions (comprising a conductive material) transverse to the electrical path. The resistor provides a difference in resistance between the conductive elements when contacted with a fluid comprising a chemical analyte at a first concentration, than when contacted with a fluid comprising the chemical analyte at a second different concentration. Arrays of such sensors are constructed with at least two sensors having different chemically sensitive resistors providing dissimilar such differences in resistance. Variability in chemical sensitivity from sensor to sensor is provided by qualitatively or quantitatively varying the composition of the conductive and/or nonconductive regions. An electronic nose for detecting an analyte in a fluid may be constructed by using such arrays in conjunction with an electrical measuring device electrically connected to the conductive elements of each sensor.
Inventors
- 👤 Nathan S. Lewis
- 👤 Michael S. Freund
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:28
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/02; G01N27/04; G01N27/12; G01N27/125; G01N27/126; G01N33/00; G01N33/0004; G01N33/0009; G01N33/0027; G01N33/0031; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/497; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/817
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A sensor array for detecting an analyte in a fluid comprising at least first and second chemically sensitive resistors electrically connected to an electrical measuring apparatus, each of said chemically sensitive resistors comprising: a mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and a conductive material compositionally different than said nonconductive organic polymer, wherein each resistor provides an electrical path through said mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and said conductive material, a first electrical resistance when contacted with a first fluid comprising a chemical analyte at a first concentration, and a second electrical resistance when contacted with a second fluid comprising said chemical analyte at a second different concentration, wherein the difference between the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance of said first chemically sensitive resistor being different from the difference between the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance of said the second chemically sensitive resistor under the same conditions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A sensor array for detecting an analyte in a fluid comprising at least first and second chemically sensitive resistors electrically connected to an electrical measuring apparatus, each of said chemically sensitive resistors comprising: a mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and a conductive material compositionally different than said nonconductive organic polymer, wherein each resistor provides an electrical path through said mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and said conductive material, a first electrical resistance when contacted with a first fluid comprising a chemical analyte at a first concentration, and a second electrical resistance when contacted with a second fluid comprising said chemical analyte at a second different concentration, wherein the difference between the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance of said first chemically sensitive resistor being different from the difference between the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance of said the second chemically sensitive resistor under the same conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A sensor array according to claim 1, wherein said nonconductive organic polymer of said first chemically sensitive resistor is different from said nonconductive organic polymer of said second chemically sensitive resistor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A sensor array according to claim 1, wherein said conductive material is an inorganic conductor.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
193 words
A system for detecting an analyte in a fluid, said system comprising: a sensor array comprising at least first and second chemically sensitive resistors, each chemically sensitive resistor comprising a mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and conductive material compositionally different than said nonconductive organic polymer, each resistor providing an electrical path through said mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and said conductive material, a first electrical resistance when contacted with a first fluid comprising a chemical analyte at a first concentration and a second different electrical resistance when contacted with a second fluid comprising said chemical analyte at a second different concentration, wherein the difference between the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance of said first chemically sensitive resistor being different from the difference between the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance of said second chemically sensitive resistor under the same conditions; an electrical measuring device electrically connected to said sensor array; and a computer comprising a resident algorithm; said electrical measuring device detecting said first and said second electrical resistances in each of said chemically sensitive resistors and said computer assembling said resistances into a sensor array response profile.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
193 words
A system for detecting an analyte in a fluid, said system comprising: a sensor array comprising at least first and second chemically sensitive resistors, each chemically sensitive resistor comprising a mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and conductive material compositionally different than said nonconductive organic polymer, each resistor providing an electrical path through said mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and said conductive material, a first electrical resistance when contacted with a first fluid comprising a chemical analyte at a first concentration and a second different electrical resistance when contacted with a second fluid comprising said chemical analyte at a second different concentration, wherein the difference between the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance of said first chemically sensitive resistor being different from the difference between the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance of said second chemically sensitive resistor under the same conditions; an electrical measuring device electrically connected to said sensor array; and a computer comprising a resident algorithm; said electrical measuring device detecting said first and said second electrical resistances in each of said chemically sensitive resistors and said computer assembling said resistances into a sensor array response profile.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 4, wherein said nonconductive organic polymer of said first chemically sensitive resistor is different from said nonconductive organic polymer of said second chemically sensitive resistor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 4, wherein said conductive material is an inorganic conductor.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for detecting the presence of an analyte in a fluid, said method comprising: resistively sensing the presence of an analyte in a fluid with a sensor array comprising at least first and second chemically sensitive resistors each comprising a mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and a conductive material compositionally different than said nonconductive organic polymer, each resistor providing an electrical path through said mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and said conductive material, a first electrical resistance when contacted with a first fluid comprising a chemical analyte at a first concentration and a second different electrical resistance when contacted with a second fluid comprising said chemical analyte at a second different concentration.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for detecting the presence of an analyte in a fluid, said method comprising: resistively sensing the presence of an analyte in a fluid with a sensor array comprising at least first and second chemically sensitive resistors each comprising a mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and a conductive material compositionally different than said nonconductive organic polymer, each resistor providing an electrical path through said mixture of nonconductive organic polymer and said conductive material, a first electrical resistance when contacted with a first fluid comprising a chemical analyte at a first concentration and a second different electrical resistance when contacted with a second fluid comprising said chemical analyte at a second different concentration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein said nonconductive organic polymer of said first chemically sensitive resistor is different from said nonconductive organic polymer of said second chemically sensitive resistor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein said conductive material is an inorganic conductor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 7, said first and said second resistance each being a resistance over time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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