Biological sensors
First Claim
1. A sensor for use in biological, biochemical or chemical testing, said sensor comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, membrane in the form of a laminate comprising a first film of transparent material, a second film of metal applied to at least part of one surface of said first film and a third film of sensitive material applied to the second film, said membrane further including a sample feeding means whereby the sample to be analyzed is transferred in a controlled manner to said sensitive layer, said sample feeding means comprising a further layer in the laminate comprising said membrane, which further layer is applied to said third film of sensitive material, said further layer being made of a porous material through which a sample may be passed from the side opposite the sensitive layer, in order to react with said sensitive layer, means for directing said beam of electromagnetic radiation into said first film of transparent material in such a way as to be internally reflected off said part of said one surface, and detector means positioned to receive the internally reflected beam, wherein the angle of incidence of said beam at said one surface is such as to cause surface plasmon resonance to occur, the characteristics of which resonance, as detected by the monitoring means, is dependent upon the reaction between the sample and the sensitive layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor in which a membrane is used to enable the sensitive material to be readily changed to enable tests to be carried out on a sequential basis simply by moving or changing the membrane. In one embodiment, the membrane takes the form of a continuous film (24) which lies against and is moveable across by means not shown, a transparent plate (17) which forms part of the SPR sensor. The film (24) comprises a layer (31) of flexible transparent material to which is applied a thin layer (32) of metal such as silver. Applied to layer (32) is a layer (33) of sensitive material. The final layer (34) is a preformed layer of hydrophyllic plastics material which incorporates troughs (37) and passageways (35,38) for the transfer of sample across the sensitive layer. Light from a laser (not shown) is subject to total internal reflection at the interface between the transparent layer (31) and metal layer (32), and the reflected light is collected by a light detector (not shown). Provided conditions are correct, surface plasmon resonance occurs at the area of total internal reflection, the characteristics of which resonance are sensitively dependent upon the reaction between the sample and the sensitive layer.
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Citations
13 Claims
- 1. A sensor for use in biological, biochemical or chemical testing, said sensor comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, membrane in the form of a laminate comprising a first film of transparent material, a second film of metal applied to at least part of one surface of said first film and a third film of sensitive material applied to the second film, said membrane further including a sample feeding means whereby the sample to be analyzed is transferred in a controlled manner to said sensitive layer, said sample feeding means comprising a further layer in the laminate comprising said membrane, which further layer is applied to said third film of sensitive material, said further layer being made of a porous material through which a sample may be passed from the side opposite the sensitive layer, in order to react with said sensitive layer, means for directing said beam of electromagnetic radiation into said first film of transparent material in such a way as to be internally reflected off said part of said one surface, and detector means positioned to receive the internally reflected beam, wherein the angle of incidence of said beam at said one surface is such as to cause surface plasmon resonance to occur, the characteristics of which resonance, as detected by the monitoring means, is dependent upon the reaction between the sample and the sensitive layer.
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12. A sensor for use in biological, biochemical or chemical testing, said sensor comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, a membrane in the form of a laminate comprising a first film of transparent material, a second film of metal applied to at least part of one surface of said first film and a third film of sensitive material applied to the second film, means for introducing onto the sensitive layer so as to react therewith a sample to be analyzed, means for directing said beam of electromagnetic radiation into said first film of transparent material in such a way as to be internally reflected off said part of said one surface, and detector means positioned to receive the internally reflected beam, and wherein the angle of incidence of said beam at said one surface is such as to cause surface plasmon resonance to occur, the characteristics of which resonance, as detected by the monitoring means, is dependent upon the reaction between the sample and the sensitive layer and
wherein said sensitive film is not continuous, but takes the form of a plurality of discrete areas of sensitive material applied to said metal film, and wherein scanning means are provided for scanning the point of incidence of said beam on said one surface across said discrete areas.
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13. A sensor for use in biological, biochemical or chemical testing, said sensor comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, an elongate film in the form of a laminate comprising a first layer of transparent material, a second layer of metal applied to at least part of one surface of said first layer and a third layer of sensitive material applied to the second layer, means for introducing onto the sensitive layer so as to react therewith a sample to be analyzed, means for directing said beam of electromagnetic radiation into said first layer of transparent material in such a way as to be internally reflected off said part of said one surface, detector means positioned to receive the internally reflected beam, and wherein the angle of incidence of said beam at said one surface is such as to cause surface plasmon resonance to occur, the characteristics of which resonance, as detected by the monitoring means, is dependent upon the reaction between the sample and the sensitive layer, and means for moving said film between tests in order to bring a fresh area into use.
Specification