Inorganic permeation layer for micro-electric device

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a method of, and a device created by, depositing an inorganic permeation layer on a micro-electronic device for molecular biological reactions. The permeation layer is preferably sol-gel. The sol-gel permeation layer can be created with pre-defined porosity, pore size distribution, pore morphology, and surface area. The sol-gel permeation layer may also function as the attachment layer of the micro-electric device.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An electronic device adapted to received a solution comprising: 
 a substrate;    a plurality of selectively addressable electrodes on the substrate; and    a permeation layer adjacent the electrodes, the permeation layer being a sol-gel composition; and    an electric source for selectively addressing the electrodes.    
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1  wherein the sol-gel composition is comprised of silicon dioxide.  
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 2  wherein the silicon dioxide sol-gel composition is formed from tetraethyl orthosilicate, ethanol, de-ionized water, hydrochloric acid and a surfactant.  
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 3  wherein the surfactant is cetyltrimethylammonium bromide.  
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 3  wherein the concentration of the surfactant is selected from 1 weight percent to 5 weight percent to generate a predetermined pore size in the sol-gel.  
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an attachment layer adjacent the permeation layer and having selective binding properties for specific binding entities.  
 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an attachment layer integral with the permeation layer and having selective binding properties for specific binding entities.  
 
     
     
         8 . An electronic device adapted to receive a solution comprising: 
 a substrate;    a plurality of selectively addressable electrodes on the substrate; and    a permeation layer adjacent the electrodes, the permeation layer being a silicon dioxide composition.    
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 8  wherein the silicon dioxide composition is formed from tetraethyl orthosilicate, ethanol, de-ionized water, hydrochloric acid and a surfactant.  
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 9  wherein the surfactant is cetyltrimethylammonium bromide.  
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 9  wherein the concentration of the surfactant is selected from 1 weight percent to 5 weight percent to generate a predetermined pore size in the silicon dioxide composition.  
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 an attachment layer adjacent the permeation layer with selective binding properties for specific binding entities.  
 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 an attachment layer integral with the permeation layer and having selective binding properties for specific binding entities.  
 
     
     
         14 . A method for forming an electronic device adapted to receive a solution comprising: 
 providing a substrate;    locating a plurality of selectively addressable electrodes on the substrate; and    forming a permeation layer adjacent the electrodes, the permeation layer being a sol-gel composition.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the sol-gel composition is comprised of silicon dioxide.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the silicon dioxide sol-gel composition is formed from tetraethyl orthosilicate, ethanol, de-ionized water, hydrochloric acid and a surfactant.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the surfactant is cetyltrimethylammonium bromide.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the concentration of the surfactant is selected from 1 weight percent to 5 weight percent to generate a predetermined pore size in the sol-gel.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 forming an attachment layer adjacent the permeation layer with selective binding properties for specific binding entities.  
 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a permeation layer for use on an electronic device comprising: 
 mixing tetraethylorthosilicate, an alcohol, water and an acid to form a stock solution;    mixing the stock solution with additional water and additional acid;    adding additional alcohol;    adding a surfactant to form a sol-gel solution;    depositing the sol-gel solution on a substrate;    spinning the substrate; and    heating the substrate.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the surfactant is cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, the acid is hydrochloric acid and the alcohol is ethanol.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the final molar ratio is tetraethylorthosilicate=about 1.0, water=about 0.0 to about 40.0, ethanol=about 0.0 to about 40.0 and hydrochloric acid=about 0.0001 to about 0.1.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the weight percent of the surfactant is from 1 weight percent to 5 weight percent.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the amount of surfactant is varied to vary the pore size in the permeation layer.