Novel micromachined silicon sensor for continuous glucose monitoring

The construction and the application properties of a micro-machined silicon sensor for continuous glucose monitoring are presented. The sensor uses the conventional enzymatic conversion of glucose with amperometric detection of H(2)O(2). The innovation is the precise diffusion control of the analyte through a porous silicon membrane into a silicon etched cavity containing the immobilised enzyme. A variation of the number and size of the membrane pores allows to adjust the linear range of the sensor to the respective requirement. The sensor was tested in vitro as well as in clinical studies, being supplied with interstitial fluid. The cavity sensor was designed for a linear range between 0.5 and 20 mM. A signal response time of below 30 s and a signal stability exceeding 1 week is shown. By using a double cavity sensor falsification of the glucose signal by interfering substances can be compensated. In clinical trials the sensor measured continuously in interstitial fluid for up to 18 h without any signal drift and with good correlation to blood glucose reference values.