Optical and electrical methods and apparatus for molecule detection

Apparatus comprising:

• a) a test site array formed on a substrate for receiving a sample substance containing molecular structures;
• b) probes formed in the test sites, probes of different test sites being of various known structures selected to bind with molecular structures of known binding characteristics which may be in the sample;
• and
• c) a detector array having a plurality of detectors, each respective detector having an electrode disposed adjacent to a respective test site and wherein radiation is propagated through said test sites and is absorbed to a different degree by sites in which the molecular structures bind to the probes than sites in which the molecular structures did not bind to the probes, and such difference is sensed by the detectors and used to generate a signal to identify the presence of the molecular structures within the sample substance.

A circuit comprising:

• a) a substrate;
• b) a plurality of test sites formed in said substrate;
• c) at least two electrodes formed in each of the test sites;
• d) leads extending to each of the electrodes;
• e) probes formed on at least one of the electrodes of a respective test site, said probes of each respective test site being identical in structure, and probes of different test sites being of various known structures selected to bind with respective molecular structures of known binding characteristics which may be in a sample substance, and
• f) detectors coupled to said electrodes for measuring a physical property of a molecular structure which selectively attaches to said probes;
• wherein said physical property is selected from the group consisting of electromagnetic and acoustic properties.

Apparatus comprising:

• a) multiple test sites formed on a substrate for receiving a sample substance containing molecular structures, each test site having row and column electrodes formed therein and having row and column leads extending to a respective electrode at each site;
• b) a source of a said sample substance containing unknown molecular structures;
• c) a plurality of sources of solutions containing known molecules which bind uniquely with molecular structures of known binding characteristics which may be in the source substance;
• and
• d) mixing means for selectively mixing each of said solutions with said substance;
• and
• e) a detector coupled to the electrodes for detecting the occurrence in the mixed solutions of binding between the known molecules and molecular structures in the substance by measuring a physical property of the mixed solutions resulting from the binding between the known molecules and the substance;
• wherein said physical property is selected from the group consisting of electromagnetic and acoustic.

Apparatus comprising:

• a) a test site array formed on a disposable substrate for receiving a sample substance containing molecular structures;
• b) probes formed in the test sites, probes of different test sites being of various known structures selected to bind with molecular structures of known binding characteristics which may be in the sample;
• and
• c) a detector array separable from said substrate having a plurality of charge-coupled device detectors, each respective detector having an electrode disposed adjacent to a respective test site on said substrate and wherein when excitation radiation is propagated through said test sites and is absorbed to a different degree by sites containing binding probes than non-binding probe test sites, such difference in degree of absorption is sensed by the detectors and used to generate a signal to identify the presence of the molecular structures within the sample substance.

Apparatus comprising:

• a) a test site array formed on a disposable substrate for receiving a sample substance containing tagged molecular targets;
• b) probes formed in the test sites;
• probes of different test sites in the array being of various known structures selected to bind with tagged targets of known binding characteristics which may be in the sample;
• and
• c) a detector array separable from said substrate having a plurality of charge-coupled device detectors, each respective detector having an electrode disposed adjacent to a respective test site on said substrate and wherein excitation radiation is propagated through said test sites causing the tagged targets to emit radiation which is sensed by the detectors and used to generate a signal to identify the presence of the molecular structures within the sample substance.

Apparatus comprising:

• a) a test site array formed on a disposable substrate for receiving a sample substance containing molecular targets tagged with material which spontaneously emits radiation;
• b) probes formed in the test sites;
• probes of different test sites in the array being of various known structures selected to bind with tagged targets of known binding characteristics which may be in the sample;
• and
• c) a detector array separable from said substrate having a plurality of charge-coupled device detectors each having an electrode, each respective detector disposed adjacent to a respective test site on said substrate and wherein the targets spontaneously emit radiation which is sensed by the detectors and used to generate a signal to identify the presence of the molecular structures within the sample substance.