Plasmon resonance (PR) system, instrument, cartridge, and methods and configurations thereof

A method of operation of a cartridge in relation to an instrument, comprising:

• engaging a cartridge with an instrument wherein the cartridge comprises a digital microfluidics (DMF) portion in fluid communication with an analog fluid portion and the DMF portion is controllable to supply a continuous fluid flow to a fluid channel of the analog fluid portion;
• supplying fluid from the DMF portion to the fluid channel of the analog fluid portion;
• and
• operating a flow mechanism in fluid communication with the fluid channel to flow the fluid through the fluid channel in a continuous fluid flow.

A cartridge for use with an instrument, comprising:

• a digital microfluidics (DMF) portion comprising at least one electrode to perform fluid operations on a fluid in the DMF portion;
• an analog fluid portion comprising at least one fluid channel, wherein the at least one fluid channel is fluidly coupled with the DMF portion for receipt of am fluid from the DMF portion to provide a continuous flow of the fluid in the at least one fluid channel;
• a sample sensor located in the at least one fluid channel that is operative to generate a sample signal in response to fluid in the at least one fluid channel;
• and
• a reference sensor in the at least one fluid channel operative to generate a reference signal in response to the fluid in the st least one fluid channel.