US 6,266,459 B1 · Fiber optic sensor with encoded microspheres

Abstract

A microsphere-based analytic chemistry system and method for making the same is disclosed in which microspheres or particles carrying bioactive agents may be combined randomly or in ordered fashion and dispersed on a substrate to form an array while maintaining the ability to identify the location of bioactive agents and particles within the array using an optically interrogatable, optical signature encoding scheme. In a preferred embodiment, a modified fiber optic bundle or array is employed as a substrate to produce a high density array. The disclosed system and method have utility for detecting target analytes and screening large libraries of bioactive agents. In a preferred embodiment the methods include detecting a change in an optical property around a microsphere on an array.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for the detection of target analyte in a sample comprising:

a) providing a population of beads distributed on a surface, said population comprising subpopulations, each subpopulation comprising a chemical functionality;
b) contacting said beads with said sample;
and
c) detecting a change in an optical property around at least one of said beads in a subpopulation as an indication of the presence of said target analyte.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

09/450,829Filed 29 Nov 1999 · continuation

Priority

14 Mar 1997

Granted

24 Jul 2001

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification42 codes

G01N 21/7703
By observing the effect on a chemical indicator: using reagent-clad optical fibres or optical waveguides
B82Y 30/00
Nanotechnology for materials or surface science
G01N 15/1456
Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry: without spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle, e.g.…
G01N 15/1459
Without spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle, e.g. processing of pulse signals: the analysis being performed on a…

Fiber optic sensor with encoded microspheres

Life of this patent

Fiber optic sensor with encoded microspheres

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21