US Patent 7880318 - Passivated nanowire sensor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7880318.html

This patent from HP focuses on improving the stability of nanosensors by using a passivation layer. Claim 1 reads:

1. A sensing system, comprising:

a nanowire;

a passivation layer established on at least a portion of the nanowire;

a barrier layer established on the passivation layer;

a functionalized nanoparticle attached to an end of the nanowire; and

a functionalized coating established on the barrier layer.