High-speed molecular analyzer system and method

An apparatus for analyzing at least one molecule, the apparatus comprising:

• a mass dependent molecule isolator adapted to isolate at least one molecule, wherein the isolation depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• and
• a molecule detector in communication with the isolator, the molecule detector comprising
• at least one source of a radiant signal inducer wherein the radiant signal inducer is emitted continuously from the at least one source, and
• a signal detector comprising at least one wavelength dependent photon detector.

An apparatus for analyzing a property of at least one molecule, the apparatus comprising:

• a mass dependent molecule isolator adapted to isolate at least one molecule, wherein the isolation depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• and
• a molecule detector in communication with the isolator, the molecule detector comprising
• at least one source of a radiant signal inducer, wherein the radiant signal inducer is emitted from the at least one source and comprises at least two on-pulses separated by an off-pulse,
• a duration control system to control the duration of the off-pulse to be less than the time that the at least one molecule is in a position to interact with the signal inducer, and
• a photon discriminator comprising at least one wavelength dependent photon detector.

An apparatus for analyzing a property of at least one molecule, the apparatus comprising:

• a mass dependent molecule isolator adapted to isolate at least one molecule wherein the isolation depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• and
• a molecule detector in communication with the isolator, the molecule detector comprising
• at least one source of a radiant signal inducer wherein the radiant signal inducer is emitted from at least one source and comprises at least two off-pulses separated by an on-pulse,
• a timing control system to time the emission of the at least one on-pulse of the signal inducer to allow interaction with the at lest one molecule, and
• a photon discriminator comprising at least one wavelength dependent photon detector.

An apparatus for analyzing a property of at least one molecule, the apparatus comprising:

• a mass dependent molecule isolator adapted to isolate at least one molecule, wherein the isolation depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• and
• a molecule detector in communication with the isolator, the molecule detector comprising
• at least one source of a radiant signal inducer,
• a signal detector, and
• an analyzer in communication with the signal detector configured to supply an output signal that is a function of an input signal and one or more reference values.

An apparatus for analyzing a property of at least one molecule, the apparatus comprising:

• a mass dependent molecule isolator adapted to isolate at least one molecule, wherein the isolation depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• and
• a molecule detector in communication with the isolator, the molecule detector comprising
• a particle beam, and
• a signal detector.

An apparatus for determining the sequence of subunits of at least one sample molecule comprising two or more subunits by analyzing two or more fragment groups having two or more fragment molecules;

• each of the two or more fragment molecules having a known subunit in a known position;
• and each fragment group being prepared using the at least one sample molecule, the apparatus comprising:
• a mass dependent molecule isolator adapted to isolate at least one molecule, wherein the isolation depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule comprising
• a molecular ionizer, and
• a molecular accelerator;
• a molecule detector in communication with the mass dependent molecule isolator, the detector comprising
• at least one source of a radiant signal inducer, and
• a signal detector;
• a time measuring device for measuring the time between acceleration of a fragment group by the molecular accelerator and the reception of at least one signal from the signal detector;
• and
• an analyzer comprising
• a time measurement recorder configured to record the time measurements made by the time measuring device and to associate the measurements with its corresponding fragment group, and
• a data processor configured to combine time measurements recorded for the two or more fragment groups an place the measurements in time order to thereby indicate at least a part of the sequence of subunits in the at least one sample molecule.

A method for analyzing at least one molecule comprising:

• providing at least one molecule;
• isolating the at least one molecule;
• causing the at least one molecule to emit a signal;
• and
• detecting the signal.

A method for analyzing at least one molecule, the method comprising:

• isolating at least one molecule, wherein said isolating depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• subsequently interacting the at least one molecule with a radiant signal inducer;
• and
• detecting a signal resulting from the interacting of the at least one molecule and the radiant signal inducer.

A method for analyzing at least one molecule, the method comprising:

• isolating at least one molecule, wherein said isolating depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• subsequently interacting the at least one molecule with a radiant signal inducer,
• wherein the radiant signal inducer is emitted continuously from at least one source;
• causing the at least one molecule to emit at least one photon;
• and
• detecting the at least one photon.

A method for analyzing a property of at least one molecule, the method comprising:

• isolating at least one molecule, wherein said isolating depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• subsequently interacting the at least one molecule with a radiant signal inducer,
• wherein the signal inducer is emitted from at least one source and comprises at least two on-pulses separated by an off-pulse,
• wherein the interacting comprises:
• determining the amount of time that the at least one molecule will be in a position to interact with the signal inducer, and
• controlling the off-pulse duration to be less than the time that the at least one molecule is in a position to interact with the signal inducer;
• and
• detecting a signal emitted from the at least one molecule resulting from the interacting of the at least one molecule and the radiant signal inducer.

A method for analyzing a property of at least one molecule, the method comprising:

• isolating at least one molecule wherein said isolating depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• subsequently interacting the at least one molecule with a radiant signal inducer,
• wherein the signal inducer is emitted from at least one source and comprises at least two off-pulses separated by an on-pulse,
• wherein the interacting further comprises:
• determining when the at least one molecule will be in a position to interact with the signal inducer, and
• timing the emission of the at least one on-pulse of the signal inducer to allow interaction with the at lest one molecule based on said determining;
• and
• detecting a signal emitted from the at least one molecule resulting from the interacting of the at least one molecule and the radiant signal inducer.

A method for analyzing a property of at least one molecule, the method comprising:

• isolating at least one molecule wherein said isolating depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• subsequently interacting the at least one molecule with a radiant signal inducer;
• detecting absorption of at least a part of the radiant signal inducer resulting from the interacting of the at least one molecule and the radiant signal inducer;
• and
• determining at least one property of the at least one molecule based on the detecting.

A method for analyzing a property of at least one molecule, the method comprising:

• isolating at least one molecule wherein said isolating depends substantially on the mass of the at least one molecule;
• subsequently Interacting the at least one molecule with a particle beam;
• and
• detecting a signal resulting from the interacting of the at least one molecule and the particle beam.

A method for determining at least one subunit of at least one sample molecule comprising two or more subunits, the method comprising:

• isolating at least one fragment molecule having a known subunit in a known position of the fragment molecule,
• wherein the fragment molecule has been prepared using the at least one sample molecule;
• wherein said isolating depends substantially on the mass of the at least one fragment molecule;
• subsequently interacting the at least one fragment molecule with a radiant signal inducer;
• detecting a portion of the radiant signal inducer scattered as a result of the interacting of the at least one fragment molecule and the radiant signal inducer;
• and
• determining at least a part of the sequence of subunits based on the detecting.

A system for determining a sequence of a plurality of components of a molecule, comprising:

• an accelerator operable to accelerate a plurality of tagged molecules with an acceleration dependent on a respective mass of each of said plurality of tagged molecules, said plurality of tagged molecules comprising a tag and a mass, said tag being determinative of a particular component from among said plurality of components, said mass being representative of a position of said particular component in said sequence;
• a chamber in which said tagged molecules are accelerated, said chamber comprising a length sufficiently long that said plurality of tagged molecules become spatially separated due to said acceleration based on a respective mass of each of said plurality of tagged molecules;
• and
• a tag detector along said chamber for sequentially detecting a respective tag for said plurality of tagged molecules to determine said sequence of said plurality of components.

A method for determining a sequence of a plurality of components of a molecule, comprising:

• producing a plurality of tagged molecules wherein each of said tagged molecules comprises a mass and a tag, said tag being determinative of a particular component from among said plurality of components, said mass being representative of a position of said particular component in said sequence;
• accelerating said plurality of tagged molecules such that an acceleration for each of said tagged molecules is a function of said mass whereby a spatial position of said plurality of tagged molecules along a path of travel is a function of said mass;
• and
• positioning a detector along said path of travel for sequentially detecting a respective tag for said plurality of tagged molecules to determine said sequence of said plurality of components.