Biosensors with Improved Sensitivity

• US 20080245971A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Stapert, Hendrik Roelof, Wimberger-Friedl, Reinhold
• Application Number:
  US12/088,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20080245971A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/458.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0877 Flow chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• 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 21/6454 using an integrated detector array

Abstract

A sensor is described for use with at least one optical detector (5), the sensor comprising a substrate (11) with optical outlets, a porous membrane (12) and micro fluidic channels (13) for conducting analyte fluid towards sensing locations (10) of the porous membrane (12). The sensing locations (10) are adapted for at least restraining light variable molecules (23) which bind to analytes to be determined. The optical output of the light variable molecules changes when they are in close proximity to a target molecule. The micro fluidic channels (13) are shaped to reflect light emitted from the sensing locations (10) towards the optical outlets and the substrate has diffracting optical elements (15) aligned with microfluidic channels to diffract light towards the optical outlets. The diffracting optical elements can be lenses.

Claims

1. A sensor for use with at least one optical detector, the sensor comprising a substrate (11) with optical outlets, a porous membrane (12) and microfluidic channels (13) for conducting analyte fluid towards sensing locations (10) of the porous membrane (12), the sensing locations (10) being adapted for at least restraining light variable molecules (23) which bind to analytes to be determined, wherein the microfluidic channels (13) are shaped to reflect light emitted from the sensing locations (10) towards the optical outlets and the substrate has diffracting optical elements aligned with microfluidic channels to diffract light towards the optical outlets.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the diffracting optical elements are lenses.

3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor has optical inputs for receiving light from a light source (3).

4. The sensor according to claim 3 wherein the optical outlets are the same as the optical inputs.

5. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein side walls of each microfluidic channel are specular-reflective for the radiation emitted by the light variable molecules (23).

6. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein side and bottom walls of the microfluidic channels are coated with a reflective material.

7. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the microfluidic channels are prepared by dipping the porous membrane in a polymerisable solution and subsequently polymerised upon illumination through a mask of the desired design.

8. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein side walls of the microfluidic channels are in the form of a piece-wise smooth three-dimensional curve chosen among paraboloid of revolution, semi-ellipse of revolution, semi-oval of revolution, hemisphere, semi-cylinder with a paraboloid cross-section, semi-cylinder with a semi-oval cross-section, semi-cylinder with a semi-elliptical cross-section, semi-cylinder with a paraboloid cross-section, semi-cylinder with a circular cross-section.

9. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the microfluidic channels and the sensing locations are arranged into an array.

10. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein each sensing location (10) is surrounded by an opaque and/or reflective zone to reduce cross-talk between the sensing locations (10).

11. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a transmissive sensor and wherein an optical notch filter (27) is located on a wall of the sensor on a side of the porous membrane (12) remote from the optical outlets, the notch filter (27) allow transmission of light form a light source but reflecting the light emitted from the light variable molecules.

12. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a flow-through biosensor or a flow-over sensor.

13. The sensor according to claim 12, wherein the sensor is a flow-through sensor and the porous membrane (12) is arranged between microfluidic channels located on each side of the porous membrane.

14. The sensor according to claim 13, wherein a reflective element (21) is located on a wall of the sensor on a side of the porous membrane (12) remote from the optical outlets for reflecting light back to the sensing locations (1O).