MICROARRAY READER BASED ON EVANESCENT WAVE DETECTION AND METHOD OF READING A MICROARRAY

• US 20100148092A1
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Zheng, Yuan, Sun, Zhenhong, Xu, Leon
• Granted Patent: US 8,124,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/459.100
• 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

Abstract

A microarray reader (100) comprises a light source (102), beam shaping elements (104) positioned near the light source (102), a moving stage (124) supporting one or more of the light source (102) and beam shaping elements (104), an optical substrate (112) supporting an immobilized microarray, a reaction chamber (116) in contact with the optical substrate (112) and encapsulating buffer solution, a heating/cooling component (118) in contact with the reaction chamber (116), a synchronization circuit, an optical filter (108) and an imaging sensor (106) positioned near the optical filter (108).

Claims

1. A microarray reader, comprising:

a light source;

beam shaping elements, positioned near the light source;

a moving stage, supporting one or more of the light source and beam shaping elements;

an optical substrate, supporting an immobilized microarray;

a reaction chamber, in contact with the optical substrate and encapsulating a buffer solution;

a heating/cooling component, in contact with the reaction chamber;

a synchronization circuit;

an optical filter; and

an imaging sensor, positioned near the optical filter.

2. The microarray reader of claim 1, wherein the buffer supports a PCR reaction.

3. The microarray reader of claim 1, wherein the substrate is an optical density media.

4. The microarray reader of claim 1, wherein the substrate is about 1 mm to about 3 mm in thickness,

5. The microarray reader of claim 1, wherein the substrate is at least partially contacted with a multilayer reflective or absorptive coating.

6. The microarray reader of claim 5, wherein the multilayer reflective or absorptive coating acts as a position marker.

7. The microarray reader of claim 1, wherein the imaging sensor comprises a CCD camera.

8. A method for reading a microarray, comprising:

initializing a microarray reader system;

initiating a temperature control circuit;

monitoring a real-time temperature control;

capturing microarray images; and

analyzing the images.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein initializing comprises calibrating intensity, calibrating line uniformity, orientating a light source, configuring a temperature parameter, setting up an image or combinations thereof