US Patent 7575933 - Chemical sensor including nanostructure adapted selectivity

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7575933.html

This patent from Nanomix teaches a manufacturing method for a nanomaterial-based chemical sensor providing enhanced sensitivity and the ability to detect different chemical signatures in parallel. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of fabricating a sensor for detecting a plurality of analytes, the method comprising:

(a) forming a plurality of nanostructure sensing devices on a substrate, wherein each nanostructure sensing device comprises: (i) a nanostructure, (ii) at least two contact electrodes in electrical communication via the nanostructure, and (iii) at least one structure selected from the group consisting of a protective coating disposed over the contact electrodes and a gate electrode in electrical communication with the nanostructure;

(b) adapting individual nanostructure sensing devices for sensitivity to different analytes of the plurality of analytes, wherein adapting individual nanostructure sensing devices comprises exposing at least some of the plurality of nanostructure sensing devices to a reactant, wherein the reactant is selected from the group consisting of a gas and an electrochemical solution; and

(c) forming signal connections to the individual nanostructure sensing devices, the signal connections adapted to transmit signals indicating responses of corresponding nanostructure sensing devices to the plurality of analytes.