Apparatus and method for light-controlled electrokinetic assembly of particles near surfaces

• US 7,090,759 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2000
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayekar, Kishor
• Application Number:
  US09/688,573
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: 204/600, 204/622, 436/354
• US Class Current: 204/600
• 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 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.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising first and second electrodes, each having a surface, said surfaces being opposed and positioned to accommodate a fluid medium between said surfaces, wherein the fluid medium may contain a plurality of polarizable particles, wherein the first and the second electrodes are configured relative to one another so that an electric field is generated within an interface between said fluid medium and at least one of said first or second electrodes when an AC voltage is applied between the electrodes in the presence of said fluid medium, and wherein at least one of said first and second electrodes comprises a light-sensitive electrode capable of controlling the movement of the particles and/or the fluid medium in a direction substantially parallel to the electrode surface when an electric field is generated within said interface and the light-sensitive electrode is illuminated with a predetermined light pattern.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second electrode comprises a silicon electrode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid medium is an electrolyte solution.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second electrode is the light sensitive electrode.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the light-sensitive electrode is patterned by spatially modulated oxide growth, surface chemical patterning or surface profiling, wherein said patterning produces spatial modulation in properties of the second electrode, said properties affecting the local distribution of the electric field at said interface.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the modified properties comprises impedance.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an electric field generator which generates the electric field at the interface and an illumination source for illuminating the interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second electrode comprises a planar patterned electrode and wherein the movement of the particles or the liquid medium at the interface is controlled when the electric field is generated at said interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second electrode comprises a silicon electrode having a surface and interior.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the surface or interior of the second electrode is patterned by spatially modulated oxide growth, surface chemical patterning or surface profiling, wherein said patterning produces spatial modulation in properties of the second electrode, said properties affecting the local distribution of the electric field at said interface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the modified properties comprises impedance.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an electric field generator for generating the electric field at the interface.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 further including means for providing a DC bias voltage between the first and second electrodes.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the DC bias voltage is in the range from 1 to 4 V.

2. An apparatus comprising first and second electrodes, each having a surface, said surfaces being opposed and positioned to accommodate a fluid medium between said surfaces, wherein the fluid medium may contain a plurality of polarizable particles, wherein the first and the second electrodes are configured relative to one another so that an electric field is generated within an interface between said fluid medium and at least one of said first or second electrodes when an AC voltage is applied between the electrodes in the presence of said fluid medium, and wherein at least one of said first and second electrodes is physically or chemically patterned to distribute an electric field in a predetermined manner in order to control the movement of the particles and/or the liquid medium in a direction substantially parallel to the electrode surface when an electric field is generated within said interface.