Bio-sensing Probe with Functionalized Nano-pillar Transistors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extracellular probes are too large for measuring single neuron behavior and often cause cell death due to material incompatibility and vibration sensitivity, limiting their effectiveness in bio-sensing and chemical-sensing applications.
Innovation Solution
A probe with a substrate and a protruding portion featuring a sensor array with functionalized contact areas, including nano-pillar transistors and chemical sensing elements, designed for precise detection of extracellular and ionic field potentials, allowing for flexible configuration and integration with biological and chemical specimens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If extracellular probes are used for measuring biological specimens, then sensing capability is provided, but the probe size is too large for single neuron behavior measurement and causes cell death
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is divided into multiple separate sensing elements (first sensing element, second sensing element, etc.) that can be independently positioned and function. Each sensing element has its own functionalized contact area, allowing the probe to measure multiple parameters simultaneously while maintaining small individual element sizes that are compatible with single neuron measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing elements are equipped with functionalized contact areas that have specific biochemical properties tailored for detecting extracellular or ionic field potentials. This functionalization allows the probe to interact with biological specimens in a biologically compatible manner, reducing cell death while maintaining sensing capability.
2Strength
If traditional probe materials are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but vibration sensitivity increases and material incompatibility with biological specimens occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The probe employs composite material construction where the substrate and sensing elements are made from materials that combine mechanical strength with biocompatibility. The functionalized contact areas use materials and coatings that are chemically compatible with biological specimens, reducing vibration sensitivity and material incompatibility while maintaining structural integrity.
3Length of moving object
If probe size is reduced for single neuron measurement, then compatibility with small target cells is improved, but sensing precision and signal detection capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing elements utilize three-dimensional functionalized contact areas that extend from the probe surface into the extracellular space. This dimensional approach allows small probe size while maintaining adequate sensing precision by capturing field potentials from multiple spatial dimensions around the target cell.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise measurements of small-scale biological and chemical specimens without causing cell death, providing detailed information on density, gradient, and dispersion values, while being vibration-resistant and compatible with various specimen sizes and densities.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor array that is mounted upon a distal end of the first protruding portion includes at least one sensing element having a functionalized contact area that is adapted for detecting at least one of an extracellular field potential or an ionic field potential
Data Source
AI summary
The basic structure and functionality of a probe as disclosed herein allows for flexibly incorporating into the probe, various sensing elements for various sensing applications. Two example applications among these various sensing applications include bio-sensing and chemical-sensing applications. For bio-sensing applications the probe, which is fabricated upon a silicon substrate, includes a bio-sensing element such as a nano-pillar transistor, and for chemical-sensing applications the probe includes a sensing element that has a functionalized contact area whereby the sensing element generates a voltage when exposed to one or more chemicals of interest.