Sensor Device for Biosensing and Other Applications

Abstract

A sensor suitable for detecting specific analytes, a method for manufacturing the sensor, and a method for using the sensor in a diagnostic procedure provided. In an embodiment, the sensor device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate, and a probe layer disposed on the dielectric layer. The probe layer is configured to react with an analyte. The reaction may include: binding with the analyte, undergoing a change in a chemical property of the probe layer, or undergoing a change in a structural property of the probe layer. In examples, an attribute of the dielectric layer is configured to identify the device during a process that determines whether the probe layer has reacted with the analyte.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 performing at least one of ellipsometry or scatterometry on a sensor device to obtain data associated with a presence of an analyte, wherein the sensor device includes:
 a substrate; 
 an identification structure disposed on the substrate; and 
 a probe layer disposed on the identification structure and configured to undergo a reaction in the presence of the analyte; 
   determining a property of the identification structure based on the data;   determining a type of the probe layer based on the determined property of the identification structure; and   determining the presence of the analyte based on the data and the determined type of the probe layer.