Hall Biosensor With Integrated Current Microstrips for Control of Magnetic Beads

Magnetic labeling of biomolecules shows potential as an alternative to fluorescence for monitoring molecular interactions associated with DNA hybridization and antibody-antigen analysis. Current carrying microstrips were integrated with micro-Hall biosensors to manipulate and collect superparamagnetic beads by field gradients generated due to direct currents passed through the strips. Magnetic beads with 2.8-mum diameters were collected over the active regions of AlGaAs/InGaAs heterostructure micro-Hall biosensors and detected in real time. The integration of current-carrying microstrips with Hall biosensors will decrease the time required for detecting biomolecular recognition processes in Hall sensor-based bioscreening platforms