Self-encoding sensor with microspheres
First Claim
1. A method of detecting a plurality of target analytes, comprising:
- (a) providing an array comprising different sensor elements at individual sites of a substrate, wherein said array comprises subpopulations of sensor elements having sensor redundancy;
(b) contacting said array with a sample comprising a plurality of target analytes under conditions wherein said target analytes bind to said sensor elements, thereby producing signals at said individual sites from said sensor elements;
(c) detecting said signals at said individual sites independently; and
(d) combining said signals for each of said subpopulations of sensor elements, wherein the signal-to-noise ratio is increased as a result of said combining of said signals, thereby detecting said plurality of target analytes.
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Abstract
A microsphere-based analytic chemistry system is disclosed in which self-encoding microspheres having distinct characteristic optical response signatures to specific target analytes may be mixed together while the ability is retained to identify the sensor type and location of each sensor in a random dispersion of large numbers of such sensors in a sensor array using an optically interrogatable encoding scheme. An optical fiber bundle sensor is also disclosed in which individual microsphere sensors are disposed in microwells at a distal end of the fiber bundle and are optically coupled to discrete fibers or groups of fibers within the bundle. The identities of the individual sensors in the array are self-encoded by exposing the array to a reference analyte while illuminating the array with excitation light energy. A single sensor array may carry thousands of discrete sensing elements whose combined signal provides for substantial improvements in sensor detection limits, response times and signal-to-noise ratios.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of detecting a plurality of target analytes, comprising:
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(a) providing an array comprising different sensor elements at individual sites of a substrate, wherein said array comprises subpopulations of sensor elements having sensor redundancy;
(b) contacting said array with a sample comprising a plurality of target analytes under conditions wherein said target analytes bind to said sensor elements, thereby producing signals at said individual sites from said sensor elements;
(c) detecting said signals at said individual sites independently; and
(d) combining said signals for each of said subpopulations of sensor elements, wherein the signal-to-noise ratio is increased as a result of said combining of said signals, thereby detecting said plurality of target analytes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification