Reading dry chemical arrays
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJohn F. Corson, Andreas N. Dorsel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Array units and methods are provided which have constructions to reduce or take advantage of Fresnel reflection. The array units may have a subtantially unreflective substrate. In one arrangement a transparent spacer layer is provided while in another an anti-reflective layer is present.
Claims44
A method of interrogating an addressable array unit having a substantially unreflective substrate with a front surface, and a dry array on the front surface having a plurality of different chemical features, the method comprising:
- (a) directing an interrogating light from a position forward of the front surface onto the chemical features of the dry array;
- and
- (b) detecting light directed in a forward direction from respective features in response to the interrogating light;
- wherein the detected emitted light is from locations of the features positioned within a ⅛ wavelength of an antinode resulting from either directly incident interrogating light and interrogating light reflected by the substrate, or from directly detected emitted light and emitted light reflected by the substrate.
A method of interrogating an addressable array unit having a substantially unreflective substrate with a front surface, and a dry array on the front surface having a plurality of different chemical features, the method comprising:
- (a) directing interrogating light from a position forward of the front surface onto the chemical features of the dry array;
- and
- (b) detecting light directed in a forward direction which is emitted from respective features in response to the interrogating light;
- wherein the detected light power density for each of multiple features is within 30% of a maximum attainable under the same conditions with only the distance of the emitting locations from the front surface being varied.
A method of interrogating an addressable array unit having a transparent substrate with a front surface, and a dry array on the front surface having a plurality of different chemical features, the method comprising:
- (a) directing interrogating light from a position forward of the front surface onto the chemical features of the dry array;
- and
- (b) detecting light directed in a forward direction which is emitted from respective features in response to the interrogating light;
- wherein the substrate includes a transparent layer extending between the front surface of the substrate to a next layer of the substrate, and which transparent layer has a of thickness t where:
- nλ/8<t<(n+2)λ/8
- in which n=1, 5, 9, 13, or 17, and A is the wavelength of the interrogating or emitted light.
An addressable array unit comprising:
- a substantially unreflective substrate with a front surface, and a dry array on the front surface having a plurality of different chemical features;
- wherein the features extend 80 nm to 250 nm from the front surface.
An addressable array unit comprising:
- a substantially unreflective substrate with a front surface and a dry array on the front surface having a plurality of different chemical features;
- wherein the substrate includes a transparent anti-reflection layer extending from the front surface.
An addressable array according to claim 42 wherein the instructions are in the form of a machine readable code provided on the substrate or a housing carrying the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.