Capillary electrophoresis device

• US 6,752,914 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2000
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: deltaDOT Limited
• Original Assignee: deltaDOT Limited
• Inventors: Hassard, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam
• Assistant Examiner(s): STARSIAK, JOHN S
• Application Number:
  US09/623,884
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 204/450, 204/451, 204/452, 204/600, 204/601, 204/603, 356/344
• US Class Current: 204/603
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44704 Details; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44782 of a plurality of samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027

Abstract

An analyser comprises a substrate (20) of diamond, sapphire or a polymer material; an array (10) of elongate capillary channels formed in the substrate; means (40) for driving a sample to be tested along one or more of the channels whereby the velocities of components of the sample along the channels depends on the relative molecular weights of those components; and a radiation source (100) and a radiation detector (30) disposed on either side of the channel array so as to detect the presence of material in the channels as interruptions in the radiation path between the radiation source and the radiation detector.

Claims

1. An analyser comprising:

a substrate of diamond, sapphire or a polymer material;

an array of elongate capillary channels formed in a first surface of the substrate;

means for driving a sample to be tested along the channels whereby the velocities of components of the sample along the channels depend on the relative molecular weights of those components;

a radiation source adjacent the first surface of the substrate and a radiation detector array disposed on either the first surface of the substrate or a second surface of the substrate opposing the first surface of the substrate so as to simultaneously detect the presence of material in the channels as interruptions in the radiation path between the radiation source and the radiation detector array; and

wherein the radiation detector array comprises an array of obscured regions on the substrate under the channels, and means for detecting an electric current formed by electron-hole pair generation at the obscured regions.

2. An analyser according to claim 1, in which the substrate is formed of diamond.

3. An analyser according to claim 1, in which the substrate is formed of sapphire having a coating of nanocrystalline diamond.

4. An analyser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the channels are less than 250 um deep.

5. An analyser according to claim 4, in which the channels are less than 150 um deep.

6. An analyser according to claim 1, in which the channels are less than 200 μ

m wide.

7. An analyser according to claim 1, in which the channels are less than 100 μ

m wide.

8. An analyser according to claim 1, in which the radiation source comprises an ultraviolet light source.

9. An analyser according to claim 8, in which the ultraviolet light source is operable to generate ultraviolet light at a wavelength of about 260 nm or about 200 nm.

10. An analyser according to claim 1, in which the regions are formed on the first surface of the substrate at the bottom of each channel.

11. An analyser according to claim 1, in which the regions are formed on the second surface of the substrate substantially beneath each channel.

12. An analyser comprising:

a substrate of diamond or sapphire material;

an array of elongate capillary channels formed in a first surface of the substrate;

means for driving a sample to be tested along the channels whereby the velocities of components of the sample along the channels depend on the relative molecular weights of those components;

a radiation source adjacent the first surface of the substrate and a radiation detector array disposed on either the first surface of the substrate or a second surface of the substrate opposing the first surface of the substrate so as to simultaneously detect the presence of material in the channels as interruptions in the radiation path between the radiation source and the radiation detector array.

13. An analyser according to claim 12, wherein the substrate is formed of diamond.

14. An analyser according to claim 12, wherein the substrate is formed of sapphire having a coating of nanocrystalline diamond.

15. An analyser according to claim 12, wherein the radiation source comprises an ultraviolet light source operable to generate ultraviolet light at a wavelength of about 260 nm or about 200 nm.

16. An analyser according to claim 12, wherein the radiation detector comprises an array of obscured regions on the substrate under the channels, and means for detecting an electric current formed by electron-hole pair generation at the obscured regions.