US 2003/0232123 A1 · Manufacture of arrays with reduced error impact

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for synthesizing a plurality of compounds such as biopolymers on the surface of supports. The synthesis comprises a plurality of steps in which reagents for conducting the synthesis are deposited on the surface of the support to form precursors of the chemical compounds and, ultimately, the chemical compounds themselves. An error in the deposition may occur in one or more of the plurality of steps. In the method in accordance with the present invention, a reagent for forming the chemical compounds is deposited on the surface of the support. A determination is made as to whether an error occurred in the depositing of the reagent. If an error is detected, then, in accordance with the present invention, the support is treated to re-deposit at least some of those reagents that were not correctly deposited because of the error in the deposition step. In one approach the support is treated to stabilize precursors of the chemical compounds, the source of the error is corrected, and the reagent applied above is re-deposited on the surface. In an alternative approach, if an error is detected, the error is corrected and only those reagents that were not correctly delivered to the surface of the support are dispensed to the surface at the locations where reagent deposition did not occur because of the error. Subsequent to the aforementioned corrective approaches, the synthesis is continued in its normal pattern wherein in any one or more of the aforementioned depositing steps an error determination may be carried out.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A method for synthesizing an array of chemical compounds on the surface of a support wherein said synthesis comprises a plurality of steps in which reagents for conducting said synthesis are deposited on the surface of the support to form precursors of said chemical compounds and wherein one or more of said plurality of steps may comprise an error in said deposition, said method comprising:

(a) depositing, on multiple locations on said surface, reagents for forming said chemical compounds,
(b) repeating step (a) in one or more cycles so as to form said chemical compounds, wherein the reagents deposited in different cycles at the same locations on said surface may or may not be the same;
the method additionally comprising in at least one selected cycle,
(c) determining whether an error occurred in the depositing of said first reagents in the selected cycle,
(d) if an error occurred,
(i) correcting the source of said error, and
(ii) re-depositing on said surface at least some of those of said reagents that were not correctly deposited in the selected cycle.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Manufacture of arrays with reduced error impact

Life of this patent

Manufacture of arrays with reduced error impact

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims38