Waveguide-based detection system with scanning light source

A detection method comprising:

• delivering a sample suspected of containing a biologically active analyte molecule to be detected to an optical sensing site on a substrate of a detection system, the substrate comprising one or more excitation waveguides and a plurality of collection waveguides;
• spatially translating a scanning light source to a point at which the light source is in optical communication with at least one of the one or more excitation waveguides to propagate light from the scanning light source to the optical sensing site, wherein a first light wave is transducable by a sensor associated with the optical sensing site to a second light wave carried in one or more of the plurality of collection waveguides in optical communication with the optical sensing site and crossing the one or more excitation waveguides;
• and
• detecting a measurable change in the second light wave using a detector in optical communication with the one or more of the plurality collection waveguides, wherein the measurable change in the second light wave occurs when the sensor interacts with the biologically active analyte molecule.

A detection system for detecting a biologically active analyte molecule comprising:

• a substrate comprising one or more excitation waveguides and a plurality of collection waveguides, the one or more excitation waveguides and the plurality of collection waveguides crossing to form an array of intersection regions where an excitation waveguide and a collection waveguide cross and provide optical communication with one intersection region of the array of intersection regions at each crossing, and a plurality of optical sensing sites each in optical communication with the array of intersection regions, wherein both the one or more excitation waveguides and the plurality of collection waveguides exit the substrate at a first edge of the substrate;
• a light source configured to generate light that is transducable by a sensor associated with at least one of the plurality of optical sensing sites, wherein the one or more excitation waveguides is arranged to propagate the light from the light source to the plurality of optical sensing;
• and
• a detector that is in optical communication with one or more of the plurality of collection waveguides.