Methods of sealing micro wells

• US 20060027317A1
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Takara Bio Usa, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: WaferGen, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhou, Jie, Joseph, Victor, Huda, Amjad, Shivji, Alnoor
• Granted Patent: US 7,311,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/272.200
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/18 Means for temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/54 using spatial temperature gradients
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6844 Nucleic acid amplification reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/501 being an array of oligonucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6417 Spectrofluorimetric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6484 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0405 : manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/01 : Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0332 : with temperature control control of temperature G05D23/00; cryostats F17C3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6408 : with measurement of decay time, time resolved fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 : Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/76 : Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0231 : Thermostating
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 : comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1443 : with at least one potential jump or surface barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0203 : Containers; Encapsulations , e.g. encapsulation of photodiodesfor photovoltaic devices H01L31/048; for organic photosensitive devices H10K30/80
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02325 : the optical elements not being integrated nor being directly associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/024 : Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation for photovoltaic devices H01L31/052
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/105 : the potential barrier being of the PIN type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/18 : Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides miniaturized instruments for conducting chemical reactions where control of the reaction temperature is desired or required. Specifically, this invention provides chips and optical systems for performing and monitoring temperature-dependent chemical reactions. The apparatus and methods embodied in the present invention are particularly useful for high-throughput and low-cost amplification of nucleic acids.

Claims

1. A method of sealing an array of micro wells, wherein the array comprises at least one open micro well having an open surface to be sealed, said method comprising:

(a) applying a radiation-curable adhesive along peripheral dimensions defining the open surface of the at least one open micro well;

(b) placing a cover to encompass the peripheral dimensions that define the open surface of the at least one open micro well that is to be sealed; and

(c) exposing the array to a radiation beam to effect the sealing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing a photo-mask patterned with the at least one open micro well that is to be sealed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the radiation beam is electromagnetic radiation beam.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the radiation beam is UV light.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the radiation-curable adhesive is UV-curable epoxy.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the photo-mask is patterned such that not all micro wells in the array are to be sealed.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the photo-mask is patterned such that no two adjoining open micro wells are to be sealed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cover is made of glass.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cover is made of plastic polymer, ceramic, semi-conducting material, metal, or any combination thereof.