Error correction in array fabrication
First Claim
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1. A method of fabricating a chemical array using:
- a head system with multiple groups of drop dispensers;
a transport system to move the head system with respect to a substrate;
a processor to dispense droplets from dispensers during operation of the transport system, in a pattern along a selected path for each group;
the method comprising;
a) loading the dispensers with fluid such that each dispenser group has at least one set of redundant dispensers loaded with a same fluid;
b) dispensing drops from the dispensers to identify an error in one or more dispensers;
c) moving a first dispenser of each set in each group along the selected path for that group while dispensing drops from non-error first dispensers of the sets in at least part of the pattern along the selected path for each group;
d) moving a second dispenser of the sets in each group along the selected path for that group while dispensing drops from a non-error second dispenser of a set having an identified error first dispenser, in at least part of the pattern for the selected path of the first group; and
e) repeating (a) through (d) at least once;
wherein the array is fabricated.
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and computer program products useful in fabricating a chemical array. The apparatus may include a head system, transport system, and a processor. The head system has multiple groups of drop dispensers. The transport system moves the head system with respect to a substrate. The processor dispenses drops from dispensers during operation of the transport system, in a pattern along a selected path for each group. The method, apparatus, and computer program products provide a means by which error dispensers can readily be replaced by redundant non-error dispensers loaded with the same fluid.
30 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a chemical array using:
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a head system with multiple groups of drop dispensers;
a transport system to move the head system with respect to a substrate;
a processor to dispense droplets from dispensers during operation of the transport system, in a pattern along a selected path for each group;
the method comprising;
a) loading the dispensers with fluid such that each dispenser group has at least one set of redundant dispensers loaded with a same fluid;
b) dispensing drops from the dispensers to identify an error in one or more dispensers;
c) moving a first dispenser of each set in each group along the selected path for that group while dispensing drops from non-error first dispensers of the sets in at least part of the pattern along the selected path for each group;
d) moving a second dispenser of the sets in each group along the selected path for that group while dispensing drops from a non-error second dispenser of a set having an identified error first dispenser, in at least part of the pattern for the selected path of the first group; and
e) repeating (a) through (d) at least once;
wherein the array is fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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6. A method of fabricating a chemical array using:
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a head system with multiple groups of dispensers, the members of each group being arranged in multiple series extending in a first direction and multiple sets;
a transport system to move the head system with respect to a substrate with different series following respective paths, series from different groups which can simultaneously move along the selected paths for their groups forming a dispenser frame;
a processor to dispense drops from dispensers during operation of the transport system, in a pattern along a selected path for each group;
the method comprising;
a) loading the dispensers with fluid such that dispensers within each set of the groups are loaded with a same fluid;
b) dispensing drops from the dispensers to identify an error in one or more dispensers;
c) moving a first dispenser frame along the selected paths for the groups while dispensing drops from non-error dispensers of the first frame in at least part of the patterns along the selected paths for the groups;
d) when an error dispenser is detected in the first frame, moving a further frame along the selected paths for the groups while dispensing drops from a non-error dispenser of the further frame located in the same set as the error dispenser, in at least part of the patterns along the selected paths for the groups; and
e) repeating (a) through (d) at least once;
wherein the array is fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of fabricating a chemical array using:
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a head system with multiple groups of dispensers, the members of each group being arranged in multiple series extending in a first direction and multiple sets extending in a second direction sideways to the first direction;
a transport system to move the head system with respect to a substrate with different series following respective paths, series from different groups which can simultaneously move along the selected paths for their groups forming a dispenser frame;
a processor to dispense drops from dispensers during operation of the transport system, in a pattern along a selected path for each group;
the method comprising;
a) loading the dispensers with fluid such that dispensers within each set of the groups are loaded with a same fluid;
b) dispensing drops from the dispensers to identify an error in one or more dispensers;
c) moving a first frame along the selected paths for the groups while dispensing drops from non-error dispensers of the first frame in at least part of the patterns along the selected paths for the groups; and
d) when an error dispenser is detected in the first frame, then multiple selected frames are moved along the selected paths for the groups while dispensing drops from non-error dispensers of each of the frames in at least part of the patterns along the selected paths for the groups, wherein each of the frames so moved is selected as the frame among previously non-selected frames which has the highest number of non-error dispensers in sets not containing a non-error dispenser in a previously selected frame;
wherein the array is fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for fabricating a chemical array, comprising:
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(a) a head system with multiple groups of drop dispensers, each group having multiple drop dispensers;
(b) a transport system to move the head system with respect to a substrate;
(c) a processor which;
i) loads the dispensers with fluid such that each dispenser group has at least one set of redundant dispensers loaded with a same fluid;
ii) dispenses drops from the dispensers to identify an error in one or more dispensers;
iii) moves a first dispenser of each set in each group along a selected path for that group while dispensing drops from non-error first dispensers of the sets in at least part of a pattern along the selected path for each group;
iv) moves a second dispenser of the sets in each group along the selected path for that group while dispensing drops from a non-error second dispenser of a set having an identified error first dispenser in at least part of the pattern for the selected path of the first group; and
v) repeats (i) through (iv) at least once;
such that the array is fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. An apparatus for fabricating a chemical array, comprising:
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(a) a head system with multiple groups of dispensers, the members of each group being arranged in multiple series extending in a first direction and in multiple sets extending sideways to the first direction;
(b) a transport system to move the head system with respect to a substrate with different series following respective paths, series from different groups which can simultaneously move along the selected paths for their groups forming a dispenser frame;
(c) a processor;
which;
i) loads the dispensers with fluid such that dispensers within each set of the groups are loaded with a same fluid;
ii) dispenses drops from the dispensers to identify an error in one or more dispensers;
iii) moves a first dispenser frame along the selected paths for the groups while dispensing drops from non-error dispensers of the first frame in at least part of the patterns along the selected paths for the groups;
iv) when an error dispenser is detected in the first frame, moves a further frame along the selected paths for the groups while dispensing drops from a non-error dispenser of the further frame located in the same column as the error dispenser, in at least part of the patterns along the selected paths for the groups;
v) repeats (i) through (iv) at least once;
such that the array is fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A computer program product for use with a chemical array fabricating apparatus having:
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a head system with multiple groups of drop dispensers, each group having multiple drop dispensers;
a transport system to move the head system with respect to a substrate; and
a processor;
the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon which, when loaded into the processor, performs;
i) loading the dispensers with fluid such that each dispenser group has at least one set of redundant dispensers loaded with a same fluid;
ii) dispensing drops from the dispensers to identify an error in one or more dispensers;
iii) moving a first dispenser of each set in each group along a selected path for that group while dispensing drops from non-error first dispensers of the sets in at least part of a pattern along the selected path for each group;
iv) moving a second dispenser of the sets in each group along the selected path for that group while dispensing drops from a non-error second dispenser of a set having an identified error first dispenser in at least part of the pattern for the selected path of the first group; and
v) repeating (i) through (iv) at least once;
such that the array is fabricated. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A computer program product for use with a chemical array fabricating apparatus having:
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a head system with multiple groups of dispensers, the members of each group being arranged in multiple series extending in a first direction and in multiple sets extending sideways to the first direction;
a transport system to move the head system with respect to a substrate with different series following respective paths, series from different groups which can simultaneously move along the selected paths for their groups forming a dispenser frame; and
a processor;
the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon which, when loaded into the processor, performs;
i) loading the dispensers with fluid such that dispensers within each set of the groups are loaded with a same fluid;
ii) dispensing drops from the dispensers to identify an error in one or more dispensers;
iii) moving a first dispenser frame along the selected paths for the groups while dispensing drops from non-error dispensers of the first frame in at least part of the patterns along the selected paths for the groups;
iv) when an error dispenser is detected in the first frame, moving a further frame along the selected paths for the groups while dispensing drops from a non-error dispenser of the further frame located in the same column as the error dispenser, in at least part of the patterns along the selected paths for the groups;
v) repeating (i) through (iv) at least once;
such that the array is fabricated.
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Specification