Reflective substrate and algorithms for 3D biochip
First Claim
1. A system for analyzing a sample for the presence of specific targets in a biochip while eliminating major background emissions, which system comprises:
- a biochip that includesa flat optical mirror surface which reflects incident excitation and/or emission photons,one or more transparent dielectric layers coating said mirror surface, anda plurality of three-dimensional domains attached to an exposed surface of said dielectric layer yielding detectable photon energy corresponding to the presence of analyte distributed throughout the domain as a result of spontaneous emission, scattering or other mechanism, each domain being of a thickness equal to or greater than about one-half of an optical emission wavelength of said photon energy, andan optical detection system that is adapted to quantify the presence of analyte in each domain by measuring or imaging photons associated with each analyte domain,said dielectric layer or layers having a thickness which is approximately N/2 wavelengths, where N is any integer greater than 0 and a refractive index such that, for a set or range of reference wavelengths, net destructive interference occurs for at least one of the following conditions at the exposed surface of the dielectric;
i. for incident excitation light energy, destructive interference occurs between radiation propagating toward the mirror through the dielectric and reflected excitation radiation propagating away from the mirror, andii. for light energy emitted via spontaneous emission, scattering or other process occurring at about the exposed dielectric layer surface, destructive interference occurs between wavefronts emitted or scattered toward the direction away from the mirror and wavefronts emitted or scattered toward the mirror and reflected by the mirror,whereby, for any sources of potential background photon contamination at the plane of said exposed surface, net destructive interference occurs at the set or range of reference wavelengths thereby diminishing any such contaminant optical signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reflective substrate is used to amplify the photon signal captured from overlying analyte domains containing photon emitters. The reflective substrate provides substantial desired signal amplification of the photon emissions from each domain via interference effects induced in the incident excitation and/or emission energies. A dielectric is interposed between the domains and the reflective surface, which has a thickness such that substantial destructive interference occurs with respect to emission photons or excitation photons or both at the attachment surface. When analyte domains have a three-dimensional structure such that a significant fraction of their volume extends at least ¼ wavelength above the attachment surface provided by the dielectric, substantial constructive signal amplification can take place of signals generated within the analyte domains. Destructive interference relating to emissions arising from the plane of attachment surface yields significant reduction in spurious background emissions.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system for analyzing a sample for the presence of specific targets in a biochip while eliminating major background emissions, which system comprises:
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a biochip that includes a flat optical mirror surface which reflects incident excitation and/or emission photons, one or more transparent dielectric layers coating said mirror surface, and a plurality of three-dimensional domains attached to an exposed surface of said dielectric layer yielding detectable photon energy corresponding to the presence of analyte distributed throughout the domain as a result of spontaneous emission, scattering or other mechanism, each domain being of a thickness equal to or greater than about one-half of an optical emission wavelength of said photon energy, and an optical detection system that is adapted to quantify the presence of analyte in each domain by measuring or imaging photons associated with each analyte domain, said dielectric layer or layers having a thickness which is approximately N/2 wavelengths, where N is any integer greater than 0 and a refractive index such that, for a set or range of reference wavelengths, net destructive interference occurs for at least one of the following conditions at the exposed surface of the dielectric; i. for incident excitation light energy, destructive interference occurs between radiation propagating toward the mirror through the dielectric and reflected excitation radiation propagating away from the mirror, and ii. for light energy emitted via spontaneous emission, scattering or other process occurring at about the exposed dielectric layer surface, destructive interference occurs between wavefronts emitted or scattered toward the direction away from the mirror and wavefronts emitted or scattered toward the mirror and reflected by the mirror, whereby, for any sources of potential background photon contamination at the plane of said exposed surface, net destructive interference occurs at the set or range of reference wavelengths thereby diminishing any such contaminant optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for analyzing a sample for the presence of specific targets in a biochip while eliminating major background emissions, which system comprises:
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a biochip that includes a flat optical mirror surface which reflects incident excitation and/or emission photons, one or more transparent dielectric layers coating said mirror surface, and a plurality of three-dimensional domains attached to a top flat surface of said dielectric layer, each domain yielding detectable photon energy corresponding to the presence of analyte distributed throughout the domain as a result of spontaneous emission, scattering or other mechanism, each domain being of a thickness equal to or greater than about one-half of an optical emission wavelength of said photon energy, and an optical detection system that is adapted to quantify the presence of analyte in each domain by measuring or imaging photons associated with each analyte domain, said dielectric layer or layers having a thickness which is approximately N/2 wavelengths, where N is any integer greater than 0 and a refractive index such that, for light energy having a range of reference wavelengths emitted via spontaneous emission, scattering or other process occurring at about the top surface of said dielectric layer, destructive interference occurs between wavefronts emitted or scattered toward the direction away from the mirror and wavefronts emitted or scattered toward the mirror surface and reflected by the mirror surface, whereby such net destructive interference which occurs at the range of reference wavelengths diminishes any contaminant optical signal from sources of potential background photon contamination at said top flat surface. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification