Plasmon fluorescence augmentation for chemical and biological testing apparatus
OwnerWayne Mooreinventor
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Abstract
The sensitivity and durability of fluorescent assays may be increased through structures and methods using plasmon fluorescence augmentation and sealing of the structure against degradation by reagents used in the assay. The resulting structures make practical extremely sensitive fluorescent assays for DNA and other biological analytes.
Claims50
A structure for augmenting fluorescent emission from fluorescent molecules comprising:
- a substrate,
- an enhancing layer coating the upper surface of the substrate,
- the enhancing layer comprising a nanostructured film of electrically-conductive material disposed above the substrate, the nanostructured film having a diameter of less than about 300 nm,
- an aqueous impervious layer, the aqueous impervious layer sealing the nanostructured film layer against contact with aqueous solutions, and
- a spacer layer of resonant thickness.
The structures of claims 17 and 26 wherein the same material is used as the adhesion layer and an enhancing layer.
The structures of claims 17 and 26 wherein the same material is used as the adhesion layer, the aqueous impervious layer, and the spacer layer.
A structure for augmenting fluorescent emission from fluorescent molecules comprising:
- a substrate,
- a first enhancing layer coating the upper surface of the substrate,
- the first enhancing layer comprising nanostructured film of electrically-conductive material disposed above the substrate, the nanostructured film having surface features with a diameter of less than about 300 nm,
- an aqueous impervious layer, the aqueous impervious layer sealing the first enhancing layer against contact with aqueous solutions,
- a spacer layer disposed over and attached to the aqueous impervious layer,
- a second enhancing layer comprising a nanostructured film of electrically-conductive material disposed above the spacer layer, the nanostructured film having surface features with a diameter of less than about 300 nm, the second enhancing layer optically less dense than the first enhancing layer, and
- a binding layer disposed above and attached to the second enhancing layer, the binding layer capable of binding with a fluorescent compound.
The process of manufacturing a structure for augmenting fluorescent emission from fluorescent molecules comprising:
- a. cleaning the surface of the substrate from extraneous materials,
- b. coating the surface of the substrate with an adhesion layer,
- c. coating the surface of the adhesion layer with a nanostructured film layer,
- d. sealing the nanostructured film layer with an aqueous impervious layer,
- e. coating the aqueous impervious layer with a spacer layer, and
- f. coating the upper surface of the spacer layer with a binding layer.
The process of manufacturing a structure for augmenting fluorescent emission from molecules comprising:
- a. cleaning the surface of the substrate from extraneous materials,
- b. coating the surface of the substrate with an adhesion layer,
- c. coating the surface of the adhesion layer with a first nanostructured film layer,
- d. sealing the first nanostructured film layer with an aqueous impervious layer,
- e. coating the aqueous impervious layer with a spacer layer,
- f. coating the aqueous impervious layer with a second nanostructured film layer, and
- g. coating the upper surface of the second nanostructured film layer with a binding layer.
A structure for augmenting fluorescent emission from fluorescent molecules comprising:
- a substrate,
- a nanostructured film of aluminum-titanium metal alloy deposited on the top of the substrate,
- a spacer layer of optically transparent material deposited on top of the nanostructured film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.