Chemical sensors, in particular silicon-based biosensors

US5874047A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Michael Schoning · Jülich, DE
• Marion Thust · Neunburg vorm Wald, DE
• Stephan Frohnhoff · Aachen, DE
• Michael Berger · Bad Vilbel, DE
• Rüdiger Arens-Fischer · Aachen, DE
• Peter Kordos · Jülich, DE
• Hans Luth · Aachen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 5, 1997
• Grant date: Feb 23, 1999
• Expiry date: Feb 5, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N33/5438
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A three-dimensional structure of porous silicon considerably improves the anchorage of sensor-active material such as, for example, enzymes, antibodies, etc., on or in the substrate surface of chemical sensors, in particular silicon-based biosensors. This structure is produced by means of suitable etching which forms pore apertures adapted to the penetrability of the sensor-active material. The pore walls advantageously receive a non-conductive boundary layer which consists of oxides of Si and/or Al or Ta or silicon nitride and are preferably 1-100 nm thick. The porous layer is advantageously between 10 nm and 100 .mu.m thick and the pores are preferably in the form of branched ducts whose average diameter is 1 nm-10 .mu.m and in particular 10-1000 nm. The sensor-active material can optionally be distributed in a glass, solid, plastics or polymer membrane.