Sensor platform, apparatus incorporating the platform, and process using the platform
First Claim
1. A process for analysing a sample or samples, the process comprising:
- bringing the sample into contact with a first sensing area of a platform, said platform comprising an optically transparent substrate having a refractive index n1, a thin, optically transparent layer, formed on one surface of the substrate, said layer having a refractive index n2 which is greater than n1, said platform incorporating therein one or multiple corrugated structures comprising periodic grooves which define one or multiple sensing areas or regions, each for one or multiple capture elements, said grooves being so profiled, dimensioned and oriented that either a) coherent light incident on said platform is diffracted into individual beams or diffraction orders which interfere resulting in reduction of the transmitted beam and an abnormal high reflection of the incident light thereby generating an enhanced evanescent field at the surface of the one or multiple sensing areas;
or b) coherent and linearly polarised light incident on said platform is diffracted into individual beams or diffraction orders which interfere resulting in almost total extinction of the transmitted beam and an abnormal high reflection of the incident light thereby generating an enhanced evanescent field at the surface of the one or multiple sensing areas;
irradiating the platform with a light beam such that evanescent resonance is caused to occur within the first sensing area of the platform and detecting radiation emanating from the first sensing area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor platform for use in sample analysis comprises a substrate (30) of refractive index (n1) and a thin, optically transparent layer (32) of refractive index (n2) on the substrate, (n2) is greater than (n1). The platform incorporates one or multiple corrugated structures in the form of periodic grooves (31), (33), which defines one or more sensing areas each for one or more capture elements. The grooves are so profiled, dimensioned and oriented that when coherent light is incident on the platform it is diffracted into individual beams or diffraction order resulting in reduction of the transmitted beam and an abnormal high reflection of the incident light thereby creates an enhanced evanescent field at the surface of the or each sensing area. The amplitude of this field at the resonant condition is greater by an order of approximately 100 than the field of prior art platforms so that the luminescence intensity created from samples on the platform is also increased by a factor of 100. Also disclosed are an apparatus incorporating the platform and a method of using the platform. Further increases of amplitude have been detected by using light having a linear component which gives rise to TM excitation and/or irradiating the platform from the substrate side.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A process for analysing a sample or samples, the process comprising:
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bringing the sample into contact with a first sensing area of a platform, said platform comprising an optically transparent substrate having a refractive index n1, a thin, optically transparent layer, formed on one surface of the substrate, said layer having a refractive index n2 which is greater than n1, said platform incorporating therein one or multiple corrugated structures comprising periodic grooves which define one or multiple sensing areas or regions, each for one or multiple capture elements, said grooves being so profiled, dimensioned and oriented that either a) coherent light incident on said platform is diffracted into individual beams or diffraction orders which interfere resulting in reduction of the transmitted beam and an abnormal high reflection of the incident light thereby generating an enhanced evanescent field at the surface of the one or multiple sensing areas;
orb) coherent and linearly polarised light incident on said platform is diffracted into individual beams or diffraction orders which interfere resulting in almost total extinction of the transmitted beam and an abnormal high reflection of the incident light thereby generating an enhanced evanescent field at the surface of the one or multiple sensing areas;
irradiating the platform with a light beam such that evanescent resonance is caused to occur within the first sensing area of the platform and detecting radiation emanating from the first sensing area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
polyphenyl and heteroaromatic compounds stilbenes, coumarines, xanthene dyes, methine dyes, oxazine dyes, rhodamines, fluoresceines, coumarines, stilbenes, pyrenes, perylenes, cyanines, oxacyanines, phthalocyanines, porphyrines, naphthalopcyanines, azobenzene derivatives, distyryl biphenyls, transition metal complexes e.g. polypyridyl/ruthenium complexes, tris(2,2′
-bipyridyl)ruthenium chloride, tris(1,10-phenanthroline)rutheniu- m chloride, tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) ruthenium chloride and polypyridyl/phenazine/ruthenium complexes, such as octaethyl-platinum-porphyrin, Europium and Terbium complexes quantum dot particles/beads or derivatives thereof.
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5. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light beam is configured so as to give rise to TM excitation.
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6. A process according to claim 1 wherein the light beam is incident onto the substrate side of the platform.
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7. A process according to claim 1 wherein the light beam is incident onto the corrugated high refractive index side of the platform.
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8. A process according to claim 5 wherein the light beam is incident onto the substrate side of the platform.
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9. A process according to claim 5 wherein the light beam is incident onto the corrugated high refractive index side of the platform.
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10. The process of claim 1 wherein the enhanced evanescent field interacts with luminescent material on or in the vicinity of the first sensing area so as to produce a detectable luminescent signal, and wherein detecting radiation includes detecting the luminescent signal.
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11. A method of analysing a sample, the method comprising:
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bringing the sample into contact with a first sensing area of a platform, said platform comprising an optically transparent substrate having a refractive index n1, a thin, optically transparent layer, formed on one surface of the substrate, said layer having a refractive index n2 which is greater than n1, said platform incorporating therein one or multiple corrugated structures comprising periodic grooves which define one or multiple sensing areas, each for one or multiple capture elements, said grooves being so profiled, dimensioned and oriented that either a) coherent light incident on said platform is diffracted into individual beams or diffraction orders which interfere resulting in reduction of the transmitted beam and an abnormal high reflection of the incident light thereby generating an enhanced evanescent field at the surface of the one or multiple sensing areas;
orb) coherent and linearly polarised light incident on said platform is diffracted into individual beams or diffraction orders which interfere resulting in a substantially total extinction of the transmitted beam and an abnormal high reflection of the incident light thereby generating an enhanced evanescent field at the surface of the one or multiple sensing areas;
irradiating the platform with a light beam such that evanescent resonance is caused to occur within the first sensing area of the platform and detecting radiation emanating from the first sensing area. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification