Sensor and sensor system equipped with same

Abstract

This sensor has a diverter, such as a convex portion and a concave portion, on the side wall of a cavity. A biological sample deposited in a suction opening is drawn into the cavity by capillary action, but if the amount of biological sample is too small, either the biological sample is prevented from moving forward by the convex portion and the concave portion, or the time it takes to reach a detecting electrode is increased, which provides the user enough time to supply additional biological sample before a false detection occurs.

1 . A sensor that is used in at least one of the detection and quantification of a target substance contained in a biological sample, said sensor comprising:
 a cavity including a side wall and a back wall;   a suction opening from an outside of the sensor to an inside of the cavity;   a working electrode disposed inside the cavity;   a counter electrode disposed inside the cavity;   a detecting electrode disposed inside the cavity, the detecting electrode disposed toward the suction opening from the back wall and spaced apart from the side wall of the cavity;   a diverter including a convex portion, the convex portion being a portion of the side wall; and wherein   the biological sample advances along a path from the suction opening to the detecting electrode,   the back wall has a planar shape,   the side wall is disposed so that the diverter is configured to extend along the path from the suction opening to the detecting electrode, and   a width of the cavity is smaller than a width of the path on a side of the back wall.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a substrate;   a spacer disposed on the substrate; and   a cover disposed on the spacer;   the cavity further including:
 a bottom of the cavity, the bottom of the cavity including the substrate, and 
 a ceiling of the cavity, the ceiling of the cavity including the cover; and 
   wherein the side wall includes the spacer,   the working electrode, the counter electrode, and the detecting electrode are formed on the substrate, and   the detecting electrode is disposed at a position in the cavity furthest from the suction opening.   
     
     
         3 . The sensor according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the convex portion is formed on at least one of the bottom of the cavity and the ceiling of the cavity.   
     
     
         4 . A sensor system, comprising:
 a sensor according to  claim 1 ; and   a measurement device configured to measure the concentration of a target substance in a biological sample based on a current value obtained from the sensor.