Reflectively coated optical waveguide and fluidics cell integration
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsMark J. Feldstein, Joel P. Golden, Frances S. Ligler, Chris A. Rowe
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Abstract
A multimode waveguide device for assays includes a multimode waveguide with a patterned, reflective surface coating. The exposed portion or portions of the reflectively coated waveguide surface are for analyte recognition. A fluidics cell is attached to the waveguide so that the channel or channels of the fluidics cell match with the exposed portion or portions of the waveguide surface. The channel or channels direct one or more sample fluids over the exposed portion or portions of the waveguide surface. The reflective coating minimizes loss and scattering of excitation and fluorescence light during a fluorescence assay.
Claims31
A waveguide device for surface-sensitive optical detection of a first analyte in a first fluid sample, comprising:
- a multimode waveguide having a surface bearing patterned, reflective coating, said patterned reflective coating defining a reflectively coated region and a first optically exposed region on said surface;
- said first optically exposed region being sensitive to said first analyte so as to produce an alteration of said first optically exposed region indicative of the presence of said first analyte in said sample, said alteration being detectable by launching a light wave into said waveguide to generate an evanescent field at said patterned surface, and then detecting an interaction of said first optically exposed region with said evanescent wave.
A method of preparing a waveguide for use in an assay, comprising the steps of:
- providing a multimode waveguide having a surface bearing patterned, reflective coating, said patterned reflective coating defining a reflectively coated region and a first optically exposed region on said surface;
- attaching a first biomolecular recognition species to said first optically exposed region by physically contacting a first area of said first optically exposed region with a deposition liquid including said first biomolecular recognition species and having a salt concentration of no more than about 75 mM for a time sufficient to attach said first biomolecular recognition species to said first area of said first optically exposed region, but for less than an amount of time that results in significant delamination of said reflective coating.
A method of performing an assay, comprising the steps of:
- providing a multimode waveguide having a surface bearing a patterned, reflective coating, said patterned reflective coating defining a reflectively coated region and a first area of a first optically exposed region on said surface, said first area of said first optically exposed region generating an optical signal, indicative of the presence of said first analyte in said sample, in response to an evanescent wave at said surface;
- fixing a fluidics cell to said multimode waveguide, said fluidics cell including:
- a first surface having a portion thereof sealed to said coated region, said first surface including a depression therein defining a fluid channel bounded at least in part by said first optically exposed region;
- and
- a first sample introduction port for the introduction of a first sample into fluid channel;
- introducing said first sample into said fluid channel via said first sample introduction port so that said first sample physically contacts said first optically exposed region;
- optically coupling light into said waveguide so as to produce an evanescent wave at said first optically exposed region that has been physically contacted with said first sample;
- detecting a first signal generated by said first area of said first optically exposed region in response to said evanescent wave, wherein said first signal is correlated with the presence of said first analyte in said sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.