Chemical sensor using chemically induced electron-hole production at a Schottky barrier

US7391056B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Adrena, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Eric McFarland · Lompoc, US
• Henry Weinberg · Waterford, US
• Hermann Nienhaus · Neukirchen-Vluyn, DE
• Howard S. Bergh · San Francisco, US
• Brian Gergen · Goleta, US
• Arunava Mujumdar · Orinda, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 28, 2005
• Grant date: Jun 24, 2008
• Expiry date: Jul 19, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D84/221
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Electron-hole production at a Schottky barrier has recently been observed experimentally as a result of chemical processes. This conversion of chemical energy to electronic energy may serve as a basic link between chemistry and electronics and offers the potential for generation of unique electronic signatures for chemical reactions and the creation of a new class of solid state chemical sensors. Detection of the following chemical species was established: hydrogen, deuterium, carbon monoxide, molecular oxygen. The detector (1b) consists of a Schottky diode between an Si layer and an ultrathin metal layer with zero force electrical contacts.