High sensitivity impedance sensor

• Main Authors: Jasim, Ibrahem, Zhang, Shuping, Yuksek, Nuh Sadi, Almasri, Mahmoud, Liu, Jiayu, El Dweik, Majed, Dastider, Shibajyoti Ghosh
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.04.2019
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLIDMATERIALS OR FLUIDS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROMSOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; MEASURING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS; SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATICTABLES OR JIGS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

Disclosed herein are example embodiments of a transformative sensor apparatus that is capable of detecting and quantifying the presence of a substance of interest such as a specified bacteria within a sample via changes in impedance exhibited by a detection electrode array. In an example embodiment, sensitivity is improved by including a focusing electrode array in a rampdown channel to focus a concentration of the substance of interest into a detection region. The focusing electrodes include an opposing pair of electrodes in a rampdown orientation. The focusing electrode may also include tilted thin film finger electrodes extending from the rampdown electrodes. In another example embodiment, trapping electrodes are positioned to trap a concentration of the substance of interest onto the detection electrode array.