Method and system for selectively distributing luminescence material precursors

• US 6,780,648 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Sun, Xiao-Dong
• Primary Examiner(s): Soderquist, Arlen
• Application Number:
  US09/666,382
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 436/46, 436/171-172, 436/180, 422/65, 422/100, 738/633.1, 738/633.2, 738/640.1, 738/641.1, 738/641.2, 738/641.3, 738/641.7, 738/641.8, 738/642.4, 738/642.5
• US Class Current: 436/172
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00158 Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1041 Ink-jet like dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 Multiple transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/109 with two horizontal degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A method comprises positively displacing a first candidate luminescence material precursor from a dispenser to a first position of an array, displacing a second candidate luminescence material precursor from a dispenser mechanism to a second position of an array and simultaneously reacting the first and second candidates to produce a library of luminescence materials. A combinatorial high throughput screening liquid dispenser assembly comprises a battery of positive displacement driven dispensers for dispensing solutions of precursor luminescence materials, an array plate with wells to receive dispensed solution from the dispenser, a robotic positioning table supporting the array plate to position wells beneath respective dispensers and a controller to control dispensing of the solutions and positioning of the plate.

Claims

1. A method to investigate properties of luminescence materials, comprising:

mechanically positively displacing first luminescence material precursors selected from the group consisting of Y(NO₃)₃, Gd(NO₃)₃, Lu(NO₃)₃, Al(NO₃)₃, Ga(NO₃)₃ and Ce(NO₃)₃ with a plunger from a dispenser to a first position of a combinatorial array plate, and mechanically positively displacing further luminescence material precursors wherein at least one of the first luminescence material precursors is displaced within a linear dynamic range of from greater than 20 nano-liter to about 100 micro-liter; and

simultaneously reacting the luminescence material precursors to produce a first (Y_xA_1-x)₃(Al_yGa_1-y)₅O₁₂;

Ce³⁺_0.06(A;

Gd, Lu), where 3≧

x≧

0.375;

5≧

y≧

0.625, library of candidate luminescence materials;

determining wavelength and emission intensity of fluorescence of the first (Y_xA_1-x)₃(Al_yGa_1-y)₅O₁₂;

Ce³⁺_0.06(A;

Gd, Lu) library of materials under an applied UV excitation; and

defining a next (Y_xA_1-x)₃(Al_yGa_1-y)₅O₁₂;

Ce³⁺_0.06(A;

Gd, Lu) library of candidate luminescence materials according to the determined wavelength and emission intensity of the first (Y_xA_1-x)₃(Al_yGa_1-y)₅O₁₂;

Ce³⁺_0.06(A;

Gd, Lu) library of materials.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising displacing said precursors from respective hollow barrels by activating a plunger within each of said barrels.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one of the first precursors is displaced within a linear dynamic range of from about 100 nano-liter to about 50 micro-liter.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising first aspirating said first luminescence material precursors into said dispenser.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first luminescence material precursors are aspirated into said dispenser within a linear dynamic range of from about 100 nano-liter to about 50 micro-liter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said precursors are highly viscous materials.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said precursors have a viscosity of greater than about 1 centipoise to about 100 centipoise.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said precursors comprise a solid in fluid suspension of a particle size of up to about 50 μ

m.