Inventors: Li XL, Shashidhar R, Ma YF
Patent Title: Molecular Imprinted Nanosensors And Process For Producing Same
Publication date: 2011
Publication number: US20110024302

Abstract: A molecular recognition sensor system is provided incorporating a molecular imprinted nanosensor device formed by the process steps of: (a) fabricating using photolithography a pair of metallic electrodes separated by a microscale gap onto a first electrical insulation layer formed on a substrate; (b) applying a second electrical insulation layer on most of a top surface of said pairs of electrodes; (c) depositing additional metallic electrode material onto said electrode pairs using electrochemical deposition, thereby decreasing said microgap to a nano sized gap between said electrode pairs; (d) electrochemically polymerizing in said nanogap conductive monomers containing a target analyte, thereby forming a conducting polymer nanojunction in the gap between electrode pairs; and (e) immersing resultant sensor device in a solution which removes away the target analyte, and intermittently applying a voltage to the conducting polymer while it is immersed in said solution, thereby swelling and shrinking the conducting polymer to effect a more efficient extraction of target analyte from the conducting polymer.
URL: http://v3.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US2011024302&F=0