US 7,344,678 B2
Composite sensor membrane
Arun Majumdar, Orinda, Calif. (US); Srinath Satyanarayana, Berkeley, Calif. (US); and Min Yue, Albany, Calif. (US)
Assigned to The Regents of the University of California, Oakland, Calif. (US)
Filed on Apr. 21, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/420,661.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/426851, filed on Nov. 15, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2004/0096357 A1, May 20, 2004
Int. Cl. B32B 5/02 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 422—82.01  [422/68.1; 422/82.05; 422/98; 204/403.01; 204/412] 44 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for amplifying deflection of a sensor, comprising:
a stretchable membrane having opposite fixed ends and a deflectable center portion; and
a layer disposed on the deflectable center portion of the stretchable membrane, wherein the layer has probe molecules thereon such that bonding of target molecules to the probe molecules causes the surface stress of the layer to change thereby bending the layer and deflecting the membrane, and wherein the layer covers only a central portion of the membrane such that deflection of the layer is amplified by the deflection of the membrane, and wherein the stretchable membrane comprises a polymer chosen from the group consisting of polyimide and parylene.