Substrates, systems and methods for analyzing materials

• US 20080152280A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Bioscience of California Incorporated (L'Oreal SA)
• Original Assignee: Pacific Bioscience of California Incorporated (L'Oreal SA)
• Inventors: Turner, Stephen, Lundquist, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,838,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7786 Fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/648 using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7703 using reagent-clad optical fibres or optical waveguides using measurement of total internal reflection or attenuated total reflection G01N21/552; optical fibres or waveguides per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections

Abstract

Substrates, systems and methods for analyzing materials that include waveguide arrays disposed upon or within the substrate such that evanescent fields emanating from the waveguides illuminate materials disposed upon or proximal to the surface of the substrate, permitting analysis of such materials. The substrates, systems and methods are used in a variety of analytical operations, including, inter alia, nucleic acid analysis, including hybridization and sequencing analyses, cellular analyses and other molecular analyses.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A system for analyzing an analyte, comprising:

a substrate comprising a first surface and at least a first optical waveguide disposed upon the first surface;

at least a first light source optically coupled to the at least first waveguide to direct light into the first waveguide; and

an optical detection system positioned to receive and detect optical signals from an analyte disposed sufficiently proximal to the first surface and external to the waveguide to be illuminated by an evanescent field emanating from the waveguide when light from the light source is passed through the waveguide.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the analyte comprises a fluorescent moiety that is excited by light of the wavelength provided by the first light source, and wherein the optical detection system comprises a detector for detecting fluorescent signals, and an optical train positioned to receive fluorescent signals from the first surface of the substrate and direct the fluorescent signals to the detector.

33. The system of claim 30, further comprising at least a second light source optically coupled to the at least first waveguide.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of optical waveguides disposed upon the first surface of the substrate.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the substrate comprises at least 10 waveguides disposed upon the first surface.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the substrate comprises at least 20 waveguides disposed upon the first surface.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the substrate comprises at least 40 waveguides disposed upon the first surface.