System and method for programmable illumination pattern generation

• US 20010007775A1
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Published: 07/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BioArray Solutions Limited (Werfen SA)
• Original Assignee: BioArray Solutions Limited (Werfen SA)
• Inventors: Seul, Michael, Chau, Chiu Wo
• Granted Patent: US 7,144,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/534
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00648 by the use of solid beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00653 the compounds being bound to electrodes embedded in or on the solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00713 Electrochemical synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0663 Stretching or orienting elongated molecules or particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0454 radiation pressure, optical tweezers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502792 for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6825 Nucleic acid detection involving sensors
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6837 using probe arrays or probe chips C12Q1/6874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2563/155 Particles of a defined size, e.g. nanoparticles
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/501 being an array of oligonucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/607 being a sensor, e.g. electrode
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/00 : Libraries per se, e.g. arrays, mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/149 : specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54313 : the carrier being characterised by its particulate form
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0012 : characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0043 : Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 3/04 : Acceleration by electromagnetic wave pressure

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the manipulation of colloidal particulates and biomolecules at the interface between an insulating electrode such as silicon oxide and an electrolyte solution. Light-controlled electrokinetic assembly of particles near surfaces relies on the combination of three functional elements: the AC electric field-induced assembly of planar aggregates; the patterning of the electrolyte/silicon oxide/silicon interface to exert spatial control over the assembly process; and the real-time control of the assembly process via external illumination. The present invention provides a set of fundamental operations enabling interactive control over the creation and placement of planar arrays of several types of particles and biomolecules and the manipulation of array shape and size. The present invention enables sample preparation and handling for diagnostic assays and biochemical analysis in an array format, and the functional integration of these operations. In addition, the present invention provides a procedure for the creation of material surfaces with desired properties and for the fabrication of surface-mounted optical components. The invention is also for a system and method for programmable illumination pattern generation, including a novel method and apparatus to generate patterns of illumination and project them onto planar surfaces or onto planar interfaces such as the interface formed by an electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS), e.g., as described herein. This enables the creation of patterns or sequences of patterns using graphical design or drawing software on a personal computer and the projection of said patterns, or sequences of patterns (“time-varying patterns”), onto the interface using a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and an optical design which images the LCD panel onto the surface of interest. The use of the LCD technology provides flexibility and control over spatial layout, temporal sequences and intensities (“gray scales”) of illumination patterns. The latter capability permits the creation of patterns with abruptly changing light intensities or patterns with gradually changing intensity profiles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for programmably generating an illumination pattern superimposed onto a substrate, said illumination pattern having a predetermined arrangement of light and dark zones, said apparatus comprising:

an illumination source;

a reconfigurable mask composed of an array of pixels, said pixels being actively controllable and directly addressable by means of a computer-controlled circuit and computer interface, said computer-controlled circuit being operated using a software program providing temporal control of the intensity of illumination emanating from each pixel so as to form the illumination pattern comprising the predetermined arrangement of light and dark zones;

a projection system suitable for imaging the reconfigurable mask onto the substrate; and

an imaging system incorporating a camera capable of viewing said substrate with superimposed illumination pattern.

2. The apparatus of

claim 1

, further comprising an image analysis system permitting acquisition of digitized images of the illumination pattern, analysis of said digitized images so as to extract feature vectors of interest, and thereby to permit creation of derivative patterns based on said feature vectors of interest.

3. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said computer-controlled circuit and computer interface are capable of accepting input from a video display adapter.

4. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said array of pixels is actively controlled so as to permit adjustment of variable and controllable levels of pixel transmissivity or reflectivity.

5. The apparatus of

claim 4

, wherein said array of pixels comprises a liquid crystal display or a digital micromirror device.

6. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein said software program provides a series of illumination patterns, said patterns being produced interactively in a graphical user interface software program or being replayed from a storage device containing previously produced patterns.

7. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the substrate comprises a light-sensitive planar electrode, said light-sensitive electrode being aligned with another planar electrode in substantially parallel arrangement, with said electrodes being separated by a gap, and the gap containing an electrolyte solution which is in contact with said electrodes and which contains colloidal particles suspended at an interface between the light-sensitive electrode and the electrolyte solution, and wherein the illumination pattern is projected onto said light-sensitive electrode so as to control the assembly and lateral motion of said colloidal particles, said assembly and lateral motion being induced by a time-varying electric field applied between said electrodes.

8. An apparatus for programmably reconfiguring an array of particles on a substrate by programmable adjustment of an illumination pattern projected onto a substrate comprising:

an illumination source;

a reconfigurable mask composed of an array of pixels, said pixels being actively controllable and directly addressable by means of a computer-controlled circuit and computer interface, said computer-controlled circuit being operated using a software program providing temporal control of the intensity of illumination emanating from each pixel so as to form the illumination pattern comprising the predetermined arrangement of light and dark zones;

a projection system suitable for imaging the reconfigurable mask onto a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a light-sensitive planar electrode that is aligned with another planar electrode in substantially parallel arrangement, with said electrodes being separated by a gap, and the gap containing an electrolyte solution which is in contact with said electrodes and which contains colloidal particles suspended in the electrolyte solution; and

an imaging system incorporating a camera capable of viewing said substrate with superimposed illumination pattern.

9. A process for using a programmable illumination pattern generator so as to provide active feedback in the optimization of an illumination pattern prepared by said pattern generator, said process comprising:

creating a predetermined illumination pattern;

configuring programmable illumination pattern generator in accordance with said predetermined illumination pattern;

illuminating a field of view on a substrate using a light source and a projection system using the programmable illumination pattern generator;

acquiring an image of the field of view;

analyzing said image so as to extract a set of feature coordinates within the image; and

iterating said creating, configuring, illuminating, acquiring and analyzing steps n times, wherein n is an integer from zero to 10,000, using said feature coordinates determined in the (n−

1)th analyzing step so as to create a derivative optimized illumination pattern.

10. The process of

claim 9

, wherein the predetermined illumination pattern is created within a graphical user environment.

11. The process of

claim 9

, wherein said configuration step is performed using a liquid crystal display panel.

12. The process of

claim 9

, wherein the programmable illumination pattern generator comprises an active mask which is configured by means of a video adapter interfaced with an active mask control circuit.

13. The process of

claim 9

, wherein the active feedback is used to programmably reconfigure an array of particles assembled on the substrate in accordance with

claim 15

.

14. The process of

claim 13

, wherein said particles are being reconfigured by applying a segmentation operation, said operation producing at least two subarrays.

15. The process of

claim 9

, wherein the active feedback is used to optimize the configuration of an assembled particle array by iterating the operation of array segmentation.

16. A programmable patterning device for generating a chemically patterned surface or surface coating comprising:

an apparatus for programmably generating an illumination pattern having a predetermined arrangement of light and dark zones on said surface, the apparatus comprising;

an illumination source;

a reconfigurable mask composed of an array of pixels, said pixels being actively controllable and directly addressable by means of a computer-controlled circuit and computer interface, said computer-controlled circuit being operated using a software program providing temporal control of the intensity of illumination emanating from each pixel so as to form the illumination pattern comprising the predetermined arrangement of light and dark zones;

a projection system suitable for imaging the reconfigured mask onto the surface; and

an imaging system incorporating a camera capable of viewing said substrate with superimposed illumination pattern; and

a means for permanently altering a physical-chemical property of a light-sensitive surface or surface coating by exposure to light of pre-selected spectral composition in accordance with a programmed illumination pattern.

17. The device of

claim 16

, wherein the physical-chemical property comprises solubility in a pre-selected solvent so as to generate said chemically patterned surface or surface coating by exposure of the surface to said solvent.

18. The device of

claim 16

, wherein the physical-chemical reactivity comprises chemical reactivity so as to generate said chemically patterned surface or surface coating by subsequent functionalization of the surface by chemical reaction.

19. The device of

claim 16

, wherein the spectral composition contains the wavelength of the visible spectrum.