Self-encoding fiber optic sensor
First Claim
1. An assay method comprising:
- a) providing a sensor array comprising;
i) a first subpopulation comprising first sensor element, andii) a second subpopulation comprising second sensor elements;
b) adding a sample comprising a first target analyte that binds to said first sensor elements;
c) measuringi) a first fluorescent signal of a first of said first sensor elements; and
ii) a second fluorescent signal of a second of said first sensor elements; and
d) summing said first and second fluorescent signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Self-encoding microspheres having distinct characteristic optical response signatures to specific target analytes may be mixed together while the ability is retained to identify the sensor type and location of each sensor in a random dispersion of large numbers of such sensors in a sensor array using an optically interrogatable encoding scheme, resulting in a microsphere-based analytic chemistry system. Individual microsphere sensors are disposed in microwells at a distal end of a fiber bundle and are optically coupled to discrete fibers or groups of fibers within the bundle to form an optical fiber bundle sensor. The identities of the individual sensors in the array are self-encoded by exposing the array to a reference analyte while illuminating the array with excitation light energy. A single sensor array may carry thousands of discrete sensing elements whose combined signal provides for substantial improvements in sensor detection limits, response times and signal-to-noise ratios.
400 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An assay method comprising:
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a) providing a sensor array comprising; i) a first subpopulation comprising first sensor element, and ii) a second subpopulation comprising second sensor elements; b) adding a sample comprising a first target analyte that binds to said first sensor elements; c) measuring i) a first fluorescent signal of a first of said first sensor elements; and ii) a second fluorescent signal of a second of said first sensor elements; and d) summing said first and second fluorescent signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification