Apparatus and method
AssigneeBase4 Innovation Ltd
InventorCameron FRAYLING
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for investigating a molecule comprising a channel provided in a substrate, a metallic moiety capable of plasmon resonance which is associated with the channel in a position suitable for the electromagnetic field produced by the metallic moiety to interact with a molecule passing therethrough, means to induce a molecule to pass through the channel, means to induce surface plasmon resonance in the metallic moiety; and means to detect interaction between the electromagnetic field produced by the metallic moiety and a molecule passing through the channel. Methods of investigating molecules are also provided.
Claims12
1-25. (canceled)
A method for investigating a molecule comprising the steps of:
- providing a fluid sample comprising a molecule to be investigated;
- inducing said molecule to pass through an aperture provided in a substrate, the aperture having an associated metallic moiety which is induced to have plasmon resonance;
- and
- detecting fluorescence caused by the interaction between the electromagnetic field produced by the metallic moiety and the molecule as it passes through the aperture.
(canceled)
A method of sequencing a nucleic acid comprising the steps of:
- providing a fluid sample comprising the nucleic acid to be sequenced;
- inducing a single nucleic acid molecule to pass in a linear conformation through a pore in a substrate, the pore having a diameter of 0.5-100 nm and having an associated annular metallic moiety which is induced to have plasmon resonance;
- and
- detecting fluorescence caused by the interaction between the electromagnetic field produced by the annular metallic moiety and the single nucleic acid molecule as it passes through the pore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.