Light-controlled electrokinetic assembly of particles near surfaces

• US 6,251,691 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1998
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BioArray Solutions Limited (Werfen SA)
• Original Assignee: BioArray Solutions Limited (Werfen SA)
• Inventors: Seul, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, Pensee T.
• Application Number:
  US09/171,550
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 422/50, 422/54, 422/55, 422/56-58, 422/68.1, 422/69, 422/82-1-, 422/82.05, 422/82.06, 422/82.09, 422/129, 422/131, 422/138, 422/186.04, 422/186.05, 422/186.13, 435/6, 435/90, 435/91.2, 435/91.5, 435/91.51, 435/173.1, 435/174, 435/176, 435/177, 435/283.1, 435/285, 435/285.2, 435/287.1, 435/287.2, 435/287.3, 435/287.7, 435/287.8, 435/287.9, 435/288.7, 435/289.1, 435/290.1, 435/292.1, 435/299.1, 435/808, 435/810, 435/814, 436/518, 436/524-526, 436/528, 436/531, 436/532, 436/535, 436/63, 436/164-166, 436/169, 436/172, 436/175, 204/400, 204/403, 204/414, 204/417
• US Class Current: 436/534
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00648 by the use of solid beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00653 the compounds being bound to electrodes embedded in or on the solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00713 Electrochemical synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0647 Handling flowable solids, e.g. microscopic beads, cells, particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0652 Sorting or classification of particles or molecules
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0663 Stretching or orienting elongated molecules or particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0877 Flow chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0427 Electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0454 radiation pressure, optical tweezers
• 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: B01L 3/50273 : characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 : specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6825 : Nucleic acid detection involving sensors
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6837 : using probe arrays or probe chips C12Q1/6874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2563/155 : Particles of a defined size, e.g. nanoparticles
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/501 : being an array of oligonucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/607 : being a sensor, e.g. electrode
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/00 : Libraries per se, e.g. arrays, mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/04 : Libraries containing only organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1468 : with spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/149 : specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1497 : Particle shape
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/447 : using electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54313 : the carrier being characterised by its particulate form
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54386 : Analytical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6845 : Methods of identifying protein-protein interactions in protein mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0012 : characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 : arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0075 : characterized by non-optical structures, e.g. having integrated holding or alignment means
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 3/04 : Acceleration by electromagnetic wave pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/808 : Optical sensing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/81 : Packaged device or kit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/814 : Enzyme separation or purification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/806 : Electrical property or magnetic property
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/808 : Automated or kit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/809 : Multifield plates or multicontainer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25125 : Digestion or removing interfering materials

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the manipulation of colloidal particles and biomolecules at the interface between an insulating electrode such as silicon oxide and an electrolyte solution. Light-controlled electrokinetic assembly of particles near surfaces relies on the combination of three functional elements: the AC electric field-induced assembly of planar aggregates; the patterning of the electrolyte/silicon oxide/silicon interface to exert spatial control over the assembly process; and the real-time control of the assembly process via external illumination. The present invention provides a set of fundamental operations enabling interactive control over the creation and placement of planar arrays of several types of particles and biomolecules and the manipulation of array shape and size. The present invention enables sample preparation and handling for diagnostic assays and biochemical analysis in an array format, and the functional integration of these operations. In addition, the present invention provides a procedure for the creation of material surfaces with desired properties and for the fabrication of surface-mounted optical components.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the movement of particles suspended at an interface between an electrode and an electrolyte solution, the method comprising the following steps:

generating an electric field at said interface between said electrode and said electrolyte solution; and

illuminating the surface of said electrode with a predetermined light pattern to control the movement of said particles in accordance with said predetermined light pattern and electrochemical properties of said electrode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electric field is at least one of a constant and a time varying electric field.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a patterning step which is performed using at least one of UV-mediated oxide regrowth, surface chemical patterning and surface charge profiling.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said patterning step is used to create a plurality of areas of low impedance on said electrode, and said illuminating step is used to selectively connect one or more of said areas of low impedance to cause said particles to move therebetween in accordance with said patterning and said predetermined light pattern.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the illuminating step comprises the further step of:

illuminating a selected area of said electrode which in conjunction with a frequency of said electric field causes the particles to move into said selected area.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the frequency of said electric field is adjusted in order to move said particles out of said selected area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the illuminating step comprises the further step of:

illuminating a selected area of said electrode surface with a high intensity light pattern so as to cause the particles to move out of said selected area.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising a patterning step which creates at least two areas of low impedance on said electrode, and said illuminating step being used to selectively cause said particles to move from a first low impedance area to a second low impedance area.

9. An apparatus for implementing the differential lateral displacement of particles suspended at an interface between an electrode and an electrolyte solution, said apparatus comprising:

an electric field generator which generates an electric field at said interface;

an electrode;

an electrolyte solution having a substantially continuous flow which effects the displacement of said particles in a direction substantially parallel to said interface;

an illumination source which illuminates said electrode with an adjustable, predetermined light pattern; and

a plurality of particles located in said electrolyte solution, said particles being in said electrolyte flow and being displaced by said electric field in conjunction with said predetermined light pattern, said particles being displaced in accordance with variations in physical and chemical properties of said particles which determine the mobility of said particles.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said electrode is a light sensitive electrode.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said impedance profile is created by a predetermined illumination pattern.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said electrode patterning includes an area of low impedance bordered by an area of high impedance, said low impedance area including a narrow conduit in communication with a wide conduit, both said conduits being oriented parallel to the direction of said continuous flow of said electrolyte;

said wide conduit including a row of intermittently spaced areas of high impedance barriers traversing the width of said wide conduit;

a portion of said plurality of particles being optically distinguishable from the remaining particles;

a detector for visually inspecting said particles traversing the length of said narrow conduit in response to said continuous flow of electrolyte;

said illumination pattern being substantially in the shape of a rectangle having a longer dimension adjusted to be substantially equal to the width of said wide conduit, said rectangle having a smaller dimension which is adjusted to be substantially equivalent to the diameter of said particles, said pattern being located in front of said barriers, and said illumination pattern conforming to an intensity profile placing a maximal value of intensity in the center of said wide conduit and decreasing symmetrically to lower values of intensity at the two sides of said wide conduit; and

a delay activation circuit which activates said illumination profile in response to a signal derived from said visual inspection of said particles so as to cause an illuminated particle to be displaced from regions of maximum intensity to regions of lower intensity of said intensity profile and to be deflected into the intermittent spaces between said barriers.