Apparatus and method for fabricating high density microarrays and applications thereof
OwnerKin Chiu Nginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a devices and methods for decreasing the size of falling droplets in a controlled manner and precisely focusing their fall-line under the influence of gravity until they are deposited on a target surface. In this manner, extremely high spot density can be produced on a target such as a microscope slide. Such high spot density target surfaces will find use in, without limitation, high density bio-chips and lab-on-a-chip applications.
Claims19
A device for fabricating a high density microarray, comprising:
- a droplet focusing element having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being operatively coupled to a droplet charging element;
- a droplet de-charging element operatively coupled to the outlet of the focusing element;
- and,
- an X-Y mounting stage operatively coupled to the outlet of the focusing element, wherein, the X-Y mounting stage is continuously, controllably movable in relation to the outlet of the focusing element.
A device for fabricating a high density microarray, comprising:
- a means for a means for altering the size of a droplet located between a means for generating said droplet and a means for mounting said droplet.
A method of forming a high density microarray, comprising:
- generating a plurality of droplets of a substrate-containing liquid, one at a time;
- releasing the droplets, one at a time such that each falls under the influence of gravity and through a means to control the size of said droplet and depositing said de-charged droplet on a planar surface of a workpiece that is removably coupled to an X-Y mounting stage such that the workpiece surface is perpendicular to the path of the falling droplets.
A method for the detection of an agent, comprising:
- dissolving one or more first substrate(s) that reacts with said agent under suitable conditions to produce a reaction product, in a first solvent or first combination of solvents;
- dissolving one or more second substrate(s) suspected of containing said agent in a second solvent or second combination of solvents that may be the same as, or different from, the first solvent or combination of solvents;
- generating a plurality of first droplets, one at a time, of each first substrate-containing solvent;
- generating a plurality of second droplets, one at a time, of each second substrate-containing solvent;
- altering the size of said first droplets and said second droplets before each is deposited at a plurality of locations, one said first droplet and one said second droplet per location, on the workpiece surface under conditions favorable for the formation of said reaction product;
- and,
- detecting a reaction product at each location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.