Cantilever sensors and transducers

US7560070B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignees

• International Business Machines Corporation · US
• University Of Basel · CH

Inventors

• Marko Klaus Baller · Bad Abbach, DE
• Juergen Fritz · Karlsruhe, DE
• Christoph Gerber · Richterswil, CH
• James K. Gimzewski · Zürich, CH
• Hans-Peter Lang · Harburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 16, 2000
• Grant date: Jul 14, 2009
• Expiry date: Jun 10, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/11
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Sensor system (70) for detecting a target substance in a reference liquid, comprising a measurement cantilever (71) being functionalized by application of a first coating to one of the measurement cantilever's surfaces, whereby this first coating is sensitive to the target substance. In addition, the system (70) comprises a reference cantilever (72) with a reference coating on one of the reference cantilever's surfaces, whereby this reference coating is less sensitive to the target substance than the first coating. Both cantilevers are arranged such that they can be exposed in a reference step to the reference liquid and in a detection step to the reference liquid with the target substance. A detector unit (73, 74, 83) is employed for determining the difference in the deflection of the measurement cantilever (71) and the reference cantilever (72) during the reference step and the detection step.