Abstract: The present invention aims to simplify the structure and a fabrication method of an ion-selective electrode in an ion concentration measuring device that measures an anion, particularly a chloride ion, in a biological component. To this end, in a potential difference measuring unit, a quaternary ammonium salt derivative serving as a ligand for an anion is immobilized to the surface of a gold electrode by using as a linker an insulative molecule forming a self-assembled monolayer. The potential difference measuring unit measures an electromotive force generated with anion binding, as an interface potential change on the surface of the gold electrode. In order to reduce the influence of adsorption of impurities on the electrode surface, a high-molecular weight polymer is physically adsorbed on the gold electrode and thus used when a biological component is measured.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to measure small amounts of a plurality of sample solutions at the same time. The small amounts of sample solutions are respectively placed on measuring electrodes, a medium is placed across the plurality of sample solutions, a liquid joint of a reference electrode is brought into contact with the medium, and a potential difference between each of the measuring electrodes and the reference electrode via the medium is measured.

Abstract: The present invention provides a DNA sequencer using a FET sensor, capable of long-base decoding. Target DNAs are immobilized on the surfaces of spherical fine particles, the fine particles are disposed in the vicinity of metal electrodes each of which is connected electrically to a corresponding one of conductive wirings of the FET sensor and partly has a spherical surface capable of contacting with the fine particles, and the FET sensor detects a change in interfacial potential incident to an extension reaction of DNA molecules containing a hybridization of the target DNA and probe DNA.

Abstract: A crown ether derivative that acts as cation capturing ligand and alkanethiol having a longer carbon chain than a linker are immobilized, coexisting together, on the surface of a gold electrode, by using as the linker an insulating molecule (e.g., alkanethiol) that forms self-assembled monolayers. Electromotive force produced in association with cation coordination is measured by a potentiometer through a change in interfacial potential on the surface of the gold electrode. Further, an insulated gate field effect transistor formed on the same substrate as the gold electrode is used as the potentiometer. Furthermore, a straight-chain polymer physically adsorbed on the gold electrode is used in order to reduce the influence of the adsorption of impurities on the surface of the electrode during biological sample measurement.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a high-quality capillary tube used in an electrophoresis apparatus in a safe and inexpensive manner. A polymer coating on a capillary tube is converted into gas and removed through an oxidative reaction with oxygen radicals resulting from ozone decomposition.

Abstract: A potentiometric sensor with suppressed leak current on the surface of an electrode and improved for a dynamic range and a response speed, in which a redox compound is immobilized through insulative molecules on the surface of a gold electrode, and a current between a source and drain of an insulated gate field-effect transistor along with reaction between an oxidized substance or a reduced substance produced by the reaction of a measured substance in a sample solution injector for supplying the sample solution containing the measured substance and an enzyme and a redox compound on the surface of the gold electrode, is monitored on real time to measure the change of the surface potential.

Abstract: A wireless sensor chip suitable for the compact, high-sensitive, and low-cost examination apparatus for easily examining a biological material such as gene at low cost is provided. A sensor chip is formed on an SOI substrate, and an n type semiconductor layer on which a PMOS transistor is formed and a p type semiconductor layer on which an nMOS transistor is formed are isolated by a pn junction. Therefore, the p type semiconductor layer at the outermost portion (chip edge portion to be in contact with solution) is set to floating, and the maximum potential and the minimum potential of the chip are supplied to an n type semiconductor layer and a p type semiconductor layer inside the outermost portion, respectively. Also, the chip is covered with an ion impermeable insulating film for reducing the penetration of positive ions through the oxide layer.

Abstract: The production amount of thiol compounds which is the product of the cyclic reaction of enzyme-labeled antibody, or the production rate thereof is measured as an adsorption rate on a gold electrode formed on an insulated gate field-effect transistor. The adsorption rate is measured by monitoring in real time the change in a potential on the gold electrode associated with the formation of a self-assembled monolayer on the gold electrode, that is, the current between a source and a drain in the insulated gate field-effect transistor. The measured adsorption rate is recorded by using a signal processing circuit and a data processing unit. Then, the amount of antigen is found from the adsorption rate. During this measuring, a high frequency voltage is applied to a reference electrode from a power supply to reduce the effect of external variations of the measurement.

Abstract: A capillary electrophoresis system includes a plurality of capillaries arranged in parallel on a vertical plane at an identical distance from each other, each of which has a sample injection end immersed in a cathode buffer 23 and pointed downward vertically to facilitate connection between the cathode buffer 23 and a sample solution. The sample elution end is connected via a pump block 11 and a connection tube 3 to an anode buffer 24. The height is made identical between the liquid levels for buffers 23 and 24 to prevent movement of the separation medium in the capillaries. The sample introduced from the sample injection end 20 moves upward vertically via electrophoresis to the sample elution end in the capillary and is passed through and detected at the fluorescence detection position 19. The effective separation length is thus decreased to 10 cm or less to attain high throughput.

Abstract: With an insulated gate field effect transistor in which deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) probes are immobilized on a gold electrode, extension reaction on the gold electrode is performed with DNA polymerase to directly measure an increased amount of a phosphate group caused by the extension reaction, that is, negative charge, by means of a current change between a source and a drain of the insulated gate field effect transistor. Thus, presence/absence of hybridization of target DNAs with the DNA probes, and presence/absence of the extension reaction are detected. Optimum immobilization density of the DNA probes on the gold electrode is set at 4×1012 molecules/cm2. To reduce surface potential fluctuation caused by external variation (influences of foreign substances), which is a problem when using the gold electrode in a solution, a high-frequency voltage equal to or above 1 kHz is applied between the gold electrode and a reference electrode by a power source.

Abstract: In a place where the personal authentication is requested, if there occurs an emergency, e.g., an authenticatee is forced to unlock a key under threat against the authenticatee's will, there is provided an urgency report system that has lowered both a danger of an authentication apparatus's false operation and a risk of being detected from those around the authenticatee. In the personal authentication technology based on a finger-vein authentication, the employment of the following methods makes it possible to enter a rescue mode and to issue an urgency report: Actively deforming the finger-vein pattern in captured image, pushing a switch, which becomes a trigger for starting the authentication, longer than a predetermined time, or using a rotational motion of the finger.

Abstract: A small sized, cost-effective genetic testing apparatus that provides high sensitivity testing, for performing genetic testing simply and at low cost. An optical sensor array for the apparatus and method for luminometric assay comprises a means that simultaneously selects 2 pixels and detects minute amounts of chemiluminescence by obtaining the differential output of the respective signals.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for detecting biological and chemical material. To measure biological materials such as genes easily at low costs, the device for implementing a small-sized, high sensitive, economical measurement apparatus is provided. Probes appropriate for target biological materials are fixed on a chip, on which a sensor, identification number, and radio communication function are implemented, the captured targets are detected by the sensors, and the result of sensing are transferred to an external control unit by the radio communication function. The small-sized, high sensitivity measurement apparatus for detecting biological and chemical materials such as genes and measuring physical and chemical amounts such as temperature, pressure, pH, and the like can be implemented.

Abstract: A biomolecule detecting element capable of easily immobilizing a detecting probe and being used in a simple manner without requiring a dark box and the like. A biomolecule detecting probe is immobilized on the surface of a conductive electrode of an insulated gate field effect transistor, the conductive electrode being formed on the surface of a gate insulating material between a source and a drain. Portions other than the conductive electrode are covered with a light-shielding member so as to eliminate the influence of light. During measurement, the conductive electrode having a biomolecule detecting probe immobilized on the surface thereof and a reference electrode are disposed in a buffer solution in a measurement cell.

Abstract: An inexpensive DNA chip/DNA microarray system capable of highly accurate measurement with low running cost. A DNA probe 8 is immobilized on a floating electrode 7 connected to a gate electrode 5 of a field effect transistor. Hybridization with a target gene is carried out on the surface of the floating electrode, when a change in surface charge density is detected using a field effect.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a luminescence detection apparatus compact in size which is capable of conveniently determining DNA base sequences at a low cost. According to the present invention, a luminescence detection apparatus 1 is provided comprising: a plurality of reaction cells 6 each having a transparent bottom portion; a solution-dispensing portion 19 equipped with capillaries 18 positioned above the reaction cells 6 and put into a one-to-one correspondence with the reaction cells 6; and a light-detecting portion 29 having a plurality of light-sensing elements 24 put into a one-to-one correspondence with the reaction cells 6 and arranged in proximity to the bottom surfaces of the reaction cells 6, wherein the a plurality of light-sensing elements 24 of the light-detecting portion 29 detect respective luminescences in the reaction cells 6 generated by injecting reagent solutions from the solution-dispensing portion 19 to the reaction cells 6.

Abstract: Disclosed is a biomolecular detection device that can be used easily, at a low operating cost, and with a detection probe that can be immobilized easily. Using an insulated gate field effect transistor having a conductive electrode on the gate insulator between a source and a drain, a probe for detecting biomolecules is immobilized on the surface of the conductive electrode. For analysis, a conductive electrode on which a probe for detecting biomolecules is immobilized on the surface, and a reference electrode are placed in the sample solution in the analytical cell, an alternating current voltage is applied from a power source to the reference electrode and the electrical characteristics of the insulated gate field effect transistor that changes before and after binding of the measurement target substance such as DNA and proteins included in the sample solution with a probe for detecting biomolecules, namely the changes in the current values running between the source and the drain, are detected.

Abstract: A wireless sensor chip suitable for the compact, high-sensitive, and low-cost examination apparatus for easily examining a biological material such as gene at low cost is provided. A sensor chip is formed on an SOI substrate, and an n type semiconductor layer on which a pMOS transistor is formed and a p type semiconductor layer on which an nMOS transistor is formed are isolated by a pn junction. Therefore, the p type semiconductor layer at the outermost portion (chip edge portion to be in contact with solution) is set to floating, and the maximum potential and the minimum potential of the chip are supplied to an n type semiconductor layer and a p type semiconductor layer inside the outermost portion, respectively. Also, the chip is covered with an ion impermeable insulating film for reducing the penetration of positive ions through the oxide layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a high-quality capillary tube used in an electrophoresis apparatus in a safe and inexpensive manner. A polymer coating on a capillary tube is converted into gas and removed through an oxidative reaction with oxygen radical resulting from ozone decomposition.

Abstract: A communication system is provided which enhances communication stability, using chips on which function blocks are formed including sensor, chip ID, and radio transmission/reception functions. The sensor detects biological and chemical materials and physical and stoichiometric quantities such as temperature, pressure, and pH and the sensed results are transmitted to a reader by a radio frequency (RF) function. The chip with the sensor functions at a resonance frequency which is detected by the reader initially during a frequency sweep. No dedicated power source is essential to operate the chips, but instead the chips are triggered into transmitting by the radio frequency signals transmitted from the reader. The frequency and output of transmission from the reader to the chips are variable. Stable communication can be performed without being affected by variation in the chips characteristics depending on manufacturing quality.