Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to efficient sensors for detecting the presence and concentration of one or more particular target molecules in solutions, air or other gasses, or otherwise present in an environment or sample. Various embodiments of the present invention provide relatively large binding constants or, equivalently, relatively small dissociation constants for binding of target biopolymers or other target molecules with complementary probes bound to, or associated with, a sensor substrate. In addition, various embodiments of the present invention increase the area of the surface of the sensor affected by binding of a target biopolymer or other target molecules to the sensor which, in turn, produces a stronger signal and greater signal-to-noise ratio for a given number or concentration of bound target biopolymers or other target molecules.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to efficient sensors for detecting the presence and concentration of one or more particular target molecules in solutions, air or other gasses, or otherwise present in an environment or sample. Various embodiments of the present invention provide relatively large binding constants or, equivalently, relatively small dissociation constants for binding of target biopolymers or other target molecules with complementary probes bound to, or associated with, a sensor substrate. In addition, various embodiments of the present invention increase the area of the surface of the sensor affected by binding of a target biopolymer or other target molecules to the sensor which, in turn, produces a stronger signal and greater signal-to-noise ratio for a given number or concentration of bound target biopolymers or other target molecules.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to for detecting the presence and concentration of one or more particular target molecules in solutions, air or other gasses, or otherwise present in an environment or sample, by impedance-spectroscopy-based sensors. Various embodiments of the present invention provide for derivatizing target molecules with nanoparticles to increase capacitance changes at electrode surfaces in order to generate stronger signals and improve signal-to-noise ratios of impedance-spectroscopy-based sensors.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to reusable, length-adjustable nanoscale tethers that can be incorporated into a variety of different sensors and other electrical, electro-mechanical, electro-optical-mechanical, and optical-mechanical devices. An optionally reusable, length-adjustable nanoscale tether that represents one embodiment of the present invention comprises a binding-structure component, having a substrate-anchor subcomponent and a binding-adapter binding domain, and a binding adaptor that binds to the binding-adapter binding domain and that has a target-binding subcomponent that binds to a target molecule, target particle, or other target entity. The binding-adapter binding domain can be positioned at different distances from the substrate anchor within the binding-structure component so that the distance between a bound target and a sensor substrate can be precisely controlled.