Porous semiconductor-based optical interferometric sensor

US6248539A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE · US
• The Regents of the University of California at San Diego · US

Inventors

• M. Reza Ghadiri · Del Mar, US
• Kianoush Motesharei · Village of La Jolla, US
• Shang-Yi Lin · Taichung, TW
• Michael J. Sailor · Village of La Jolla, US
• Keiki-Pua S. Dancil · Makawao, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 30, 1997
• Grant date: Jun 19, 2001
• Expiry date: Oct 30, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S436/805
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The measurement of the wavelength shifts in the reflectometric interference spectra of a porous semiconductor substrate such as silicon, make possible the highly sensitive detection, identification and quantification of small analyte molecules. The sensor of the subject invention is effective in detecting multiple layers of biomolecular interactions, termed "cascade sensing", including sensitive detection of small molecule recognition events that take place relatively far from the semiconductor surface.