Molecular detection apparatus and method using optical waveguide detection
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of molecular detection, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an optical waveguide having a surface proximate to a binding site;
applying an incident light beam to the binding site along an axis transverse to the surface of the optical waveguide, the incident light beam impinging an optical indicator bound at the binding site to form secondary light which is coupled into the optical waveguide;
detecting the secondary light in the optical waveguide; and
reflecting a portion of the incident light beam which passes through the binding site back toward the binding site to enhance an illumination thereof.
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Abstract
A target molecule at a binding site is detected using an optical waveguide having a surface proximate to the binding site, and a waveguide detector coupled to the optical waveguide. An incident light beam is applied to the binding site along an axis transverse to the surface of the optical waveguide. The incident light beam impinges an optical indicator associated with the target molecule to form secondary light which is coupled into the optical waveguide. The secondary light is detected by the waveguide detector to thereby detect the target molecule.
156 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A method of molecular detection, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an optical waveguide having a surface proximate to a binding site; applying an incident light beam to the binding site along an axis transverse to the surface of the optical waveguide, the incident light beam impinging an optical indicator bound at the binding site to form secondary light which is coupled into the optical waveguide; detecting the secondary light in the optical waveguide; and reflecting a portion of the incident light beam which passes through the binding site back toward the binding site to enhance an illumination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A molecular detection apparatus comprising:
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an optical waveguide having a surface proximate to a binding site, the binding site to receive an incident light beam applied along an axis transverse to the surface; and a waveguide detector coupled to the optical waveguide; wherein secondary light is formed when the incident light beam impinges an optical indicator at the binding site, the secondary light being coupled into the optical waveguide for detection by the waveguide detector; and a reflective member which reflects a portion of the incident light beam passing through the binding site back toward the binding site to enhance an illumination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of molecular detection, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a first plurality of optical waveguides each having a respective subset of a plurality of binding sites in optical communication therewith; providing a second plurality of optical waveguides each having a respective subset of the plurality of binding sites in optical communication therewith, wherein each of the plurality of binding sites optically communicates with a respective one of the first plurality of optical waveguides and a respective one of the second plurality of optical waveguides; providing a first plurality of detectors each coupled to a respective one of the first plurality of optical waveguides; providing a second plurality of detectors each coupled to a respective one of the second plurality of optical waveguides; applying an incident light beam to at least one binding site of the plurality of binding sites; and detecting a target molecule at one of the plurality of binding sites by detecting secondary light at one of the first plurality of detectors and at one of the second plurality of detectors. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A molecular detection apparatus comprising:
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a first plurality of optical waveguides each having a respective subset of a plurality of binding sites in optical communication therewith; a second plurality of optical waveguides each having a respective subset of the plurality of binding sites in optical communication therewith; a first plurality of detectors each coupled to a respective one of the first plurality of optical waveguides; and a second plurality of detectors each coupled to a respective one of the second plurality of optical waveguides; wherein each of the plurality of binding sites optically communicates with a respective one of the first plurality of optical waveguides and a respective one of the second plurality of optical waveguides, and wherein secondary light indicative of a target molecule at a binding site is detected by one of the first plurality of detectors and one of the second plurality of detectors. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method of molecular detection, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an optical waveguide having a surface proximate to a binding site; applying an incident light beam to the binding site along an axis transverse to the surface of the optical waveguide, the incident light beam impinging an optical indicator bound at the binding site form secondary light which is coupled into the optical waveguide; detecting the secondary light in the optical waveguide; and filtering a stray portion light beam which couples into the optical waveguide.
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56. A method of molecular detection, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an optical waveguide having a surface proximate to a binding site; applying an incident light beam to the binding site along an axis substantially normal to the surface of the optical waveguide, the incident light beam impinging an optical indicator bound at the binding site to form secondary light which is coupled into the optical waveguide; and detecting the secondary light in the optical waveguide.
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57. A molecular detection apparatus comprising:
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an optical waveguide having a surface proximate to a binding site, the binding site to receive an incident light beam applied along an axis transverse to the surface; a waveguide detector coupled to the optical waveguide; wherein secondary light is formed when the incident light beam impinges an optical indicator at the binding site, the secondary light being coupled into the optical waveguide for detection by the waveguide detector, and wherein the optical waveguide absorbs a stray portion of the incident light beam coupled into the optical waveguide.
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58. A molecular detection apparatus comprising:
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an optical waveguide having a surface proximate to a binding site, the binding site to receive an incident light beam applied along an axis substantially normal to the surface; and a waveguide detector coupled to the optical waveguide; wherein secondary light is formed when the incident light beam impinges an optical indicator at the binding site, the secondary light being coupled into the optical waveguide for detection by the waveguide detector.
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59. A molecular detection apparatus comprising:
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an optical waveguide having a surface proximate to a binding site, the binding site to receive an incident light beam applied along an axis transverse to the surface; and a waveguide detector coupled to the optical waveguide; wherein secondary light is formed when the incident light beam impinges an optical indicator at the binding site, the secondary light being coupled into the optical waveguide for detection by the waveguide detector and wherein the waveguide detector substantially surrounds the optical waveguide at the binding site.
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Specification