System and method for programmable illumination pattern generation

• US 7,041,510 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BioArray Solutions Limited (Werfen SA)
• Original Assignee: BioArray Solutions Limited (Werfen SA)
• Inventors: Seul, Michael, Chau, Chiu Wo
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, Pensee T.
• Application Number:
  US09/768,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20010016361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 204/400, 204/450, 204/403, 204/549, 204/600, 204/64.3, 204/453, 204/471, 204/416, 204/47, 436/518, 436/534, 436/524, 436/526, 436/528, 436/531, 436/63, 436164-172, 436/175, 216/22, 216/23, 429/30, 429/33, 429/41, 429/44, 429/45, 205/50, 205/52, 205/54, 205/81, 205/84, 205/91, 205/109
• US Class Current: 436/518
• 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 2219/00466 in a slurry
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00497 Features relating to the solid phase supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/005 Beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00527 Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00572 Chemical means
• 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 2219/00677 Ex-situ synthesis followed by deposition on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00713 Electrochemical synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 Peptides
• 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 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• 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 2400/0454 : radiation pressure, optical tweezers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/086 : using baffles or other fixed flow obstructions
• 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 3/502753 : characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• 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: B01L 3/502792 : for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension
• 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 60/10 : for identifying library members
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0266 : with electrical classification
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/149 : specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0288 : Sorting the particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/0035 : electrical field
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/0005 : Field flow fractionation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54313 : the carrier being characterised by its particulate form
• 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: H05H 3/04 : Acceleration by electromagnetic wave pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25125 : Digestion or removing interfering materials

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the manipulation of colloidal particulates 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. The invention is also for a system and method for programmable illumination pattern generation, including a novel method and apparatus to generate patterns of illumination and project them onto planar surfaces or onto planar interfaces such as the interface formed by an electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS), e.g., as described herein. This enables the creation of patterns or sequences of patterns using graphical design or drawing software on a personal computer and the projection of said patterns, or sequences of patterns (“time-varying patterns”), onto the interface using a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and an optical design which images the LCD panel onto the surface of interest. The use of the LCD technology provides flexibility and control over spatial layout, temporal sequences and intensities (“gray scales”) of illumination patterns. The latter capability permits the creation of patterns with abruptly changing light intensities or patterns with gradually changing intensity profiles.

Claims

1. A process of merging distinct groups of particles in a planar assembly of particles which is formed on a substrate by sequential injection of a multiplicity of groups of particles of at least one type, said process comprising:

a) providing a substrate comprising a light-sensitive planar electrode, the light-sensitive electrode being aligned with another planar electrode in substantially parallel arrangement, with said electrodes being separated by a gap, and the gap containing an electrolyte solution which is in contact with said electrodes;

b) placing a group of at least one type of particles selected from a reservoir containing said at least one type of particles into the electrolyte solution so as to confine said injected particles into a first distinct segment of the light-sensitive electrode, wherein the first distinct segment is illuminated by an illumination source to delineated a first distinct illumination pattern on said light-sensitive electrode;

c) translocating said confined particles to another distinct segment of the light-sensitive electrode, wherein said another distinct segment is illuminated by an illumination source to delineate another distinct illumination pattern on said light-sensitive electrode, wherein said another distinct segment either has no particles in it or has a planar assembly of particles in it; and

`d) in said translocated particles with any particles in said another distinct segment of the light-sensitive electrode.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising recording an image showing said translocated groups of particles in their final positions within said another distinct segment.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the first illumination pattern and said another distinct illumination pattern are provided using a programmable illumination pattern generator which can be selectively activated to generate said illumination patterns, said method further comprising reiterating the placing, translocating, merging and recording steps n times, wherein n is an integer from zero to about 10,000.

5. The process of claim 1 further including the step of:

placing an additional group of at least one type of additional particles selected from a reservoir containing said at least one type of additional particles into the electrolyte solution so as to confine said injected additional particles into a third segment of the light-sensitive electrode delineated by a third illumination pattern on said light-sensitive electrode;

translocating said confined additional particles to the second segment of the light-sensitive electrode; and

merging said additional particles with any particles in said second segment of the light-sensitive electrode.

4. A process of decoding a planar assembly of particles by a process comprising:

a) providing a substrate comprising a light-sensitive planar electrode, the light-sensitive electrode being aligned with another planar electrode in substantially parallel arrangement, with said electrodes being separated by a gap, and the gap containing an electrolyte solution which is in contact with said electrodes;

b) placing a group of at least one type of particles selected from a reservoir containing said at least one type of particles into the electrolyte solution so as to confine said injected particles into a first segment of the light-sensitive electrode, wherein the first segment is illuminated by an illumination source controlled by a programmable illumination pattern generator to delineate a first illumination pattern on said light-sensitive electrode, and recording an image of the substrate;

c) translocating said confined particles to another distinct segment of the light-sensitive electrode, wherein said another distinct segment is illuminated by an illumination source controlled by the programmable illumination pattern generator to delineate second illumination pattern on said light-sensitive electrode, wherein said another distinct segment either has no particles in it or has a planar assembly of particles in it, and recording an image of the substrate;

d) merging said translocated particles with any particles in said another distinct segment of the light-sensitive electrode thereby forming an array of merged particles, the composition of which is encoded based on its location on the substrate, and recording an image of the substrate; and

e) comparing the images taken following each of the placing, translocating and merging steps in order to decode the composition of the array of the merged particles.