Pgr Holdings, LLC

Trace Sensing Technologies Inc.

Peter P Ricci

Otto J Gregory

Ultrasensitive, ultrathin thermodynamic sensing platforms for the detection of chemical compounds at trace levels are disclosed. Embodiments of the ultrathin sensor comprise substrate, adhesion, microheater, and catalyst layers. A sensor array may include a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst. When a sensor array exposed to an analyte, each of the various sensors of the array may experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously-obtained reaction results may be used to determine information on the analyte. Advantageously, these ultrathin vapor sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity, and may be used to detect and identify analytes at the PPT level. Specialized sensors configured to detect analytes falling into a certain category (e.g., explosives, drugs and narcotics, biomarkers, etc.) are disclosed, as well as general purpose sensors capable of detecting analytes from a plurality of categories.

Ultrasensitive, ultrathin vapor sensors and arrays

Ultrasensitive, decoupled thermodynamic sensing platforms for the molecular-level detection of target analytes are disclosed, wherein the sensors have a heating resistor decoupled from a sensing resistor. Embodiments of the decoupled sensor comprise a metallic microheater resistor on one side of substrate, and a sensor resistor coupled to a catalyst on the other side of the substrate. A sensor array may be provided including a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst that, when exposed to an analyte, each experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously obtained reaction results may be used to determine the presence and the identity of the analyte. Advantageously, the decoupled sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity than other-known systems, and may be used to detect and identify a single molecule of an analyte.

Decoupled thermodynamic sensing system

Ultrasensitive, ultrathin thermodynamic sensing platforms for the detection of chemical compounds in the vapor phase at trace levels are disclosed. Embodiments of the ultrathin vapor sensor comprise a substrate layer, an adhesion layer, a metallic microheater layer, and a catalyst layer. A sensor array may be provided including a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst. When a sensor array exposed to an analyte, each of the various ultrathin vapor sensors of the array may experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously-obtained reaction results may be used to determine the presence and the identity of the analyte. Advantageously, these ultrathin vapor sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity than known systems, and may be used to detect and identify analytes at the parts per trillion level. Specialized sensors configured to detect analytes falling into a certain category (e.g., explosives, drugs and narcotics, biomarkers, etc.) as disclosed, as well as general purpose sensors capable of detecting analytes from a plurality of categories.

Ultrasensitive, decoupled thermodynamic sensing platforms for the detection of chemical compounds in the vapor phase at trace levels are disclosed, wherein the sensors have a heating resistor decoupled from a sensing resistor. Embodiments of the decoupled sensor comprise a metallic microheater resistor on one side of substrate, and a sensor resistor coupled to a catalyst on the other side of the substrate. A sensor array may be provided including a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst that, when exposed to an analyte, each experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously obtained reaction results may be used to determine the presence and the identity of the analyte. Advantageously, the decoupled sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity than other known systems, and may be used to detect and identify a single molecule of an analyte.

Growing community of inventors

West Warwick, RI, United States of America

Peter P Ricci