System and method for self-referencing a sensor in a micron-sized deep flow chamber

• US 7,285,420 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Mazumder, Prantik, Yuen, Po Ki, Fontaine, Norman H., Mozdy, Eric J., Quesada, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): TURK, NEIL N
• Application Number:
  US10/993,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 356/73
• US Class Current: 436/164
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/058 Flat flow cell
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/276 with alternation of sample and standard in optical path
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/553 and using surface plasmons fluorescence excitation G01N21/648; enhanced Raman G01N21/658
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7743 the reagent-coated grating coupling light in or out of the waveguide
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/108 Miscellaneous
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/1211 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/1217 for index of solution, carrying fluids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/127 Calibration; base line adjustment; drift compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12723 Self check capacity; automatic, periodic step of checking
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/128 Alternating sample and standard or reference part in one path
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/117497 with a continuously flowing sample or carrier stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A system and method are described herein for self-referencing a sensor that is used to detect a biomolecular binding event and/or kinetics which occur in a sample solution flowing along side a reference solution in a micron-sized deep flow channel.

Claims

1. A method for self-referencing a sensor associated with a micron-sized deep flow channel, said method comprising the steps of:

directing an optical beam at said sensor which has a single sensing region divided into a detection region and a reference region which are contiguous to one another and which are respectively interfaced with a sample solution and a reference solution that flow side-by-side to one another in a longitudinal direction within said micron-sized deep flow channel;

receiving an output optical beam from said sensor;

analyzing the output optical beam to determine a detection signal associated with the sample solution flowing in the detection region of said sensor and to determine a reference signal associated with the reference solution flowing in the reference region of said sensor; and

subtracting the reference signal from the detection signal to generate a corrected detection signal, wherein uncertainties in the detection signal due to environmental conditions and noise generated by components in an interrogation system are reduced in the corrected detection signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said corrected detection signal indicates whether or not a biomolecular binding event occurred in the sample solution flowing in said micron-sized deep flow channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a grating-coupled waveguide sensor or a surface plasmon resonance sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said micron-sized deep flow channel and said sensor are incorporated within a H-well plate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an interrogation system performs said step of directing the optical beam at said sensor and said step of receiving the output optical beam from said sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said interrogation system is an angular interrogation system in which the optical beam is delivered via free-air to said sensor and in which the output optical beam is received via the free-air from said sensor.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said interrogation system is a spectral interrogation system in which the optical beam is delivered via a waveguide to said sensor and in which the output optical beam is received via the waveguide from said sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving is performed by a camera.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving is performed by an optical detector.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of analyzing is performed by hardware.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of analyzing is performed by software stored and implemented within a computer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said micron-sized deep flow channel receives a plurality of concentration gradients in the sample solution at the same time and a computer is capable of analyzing the output optical beam to determine a plurality of detection signals corresponding to said plurality of concentration gradients in the sample solution.

13. An interrogation system capable of performing the following steps:

directing an optical beam at a sensor which has a single sensing region divided into a detection region and a reference region which are contiguous to one another and which are respectively interfaced with a sample solution and a reference solution that flow side-by-side to one another in a longitudinal direction within a micron-sized deep flow channel;

receiving an output optical beam from said sensor;

wherein the output optical beam is analyzed to determine a detection signal associated with the sample solution flowing in the detection region of said sensor and to determine a reference signal associated with the reference solution flowing in the reference region of said sensor; and

wherein the reference signal is subtracted from the detection signal to generate a corrected detection signal; and

wherein the corrected detection signal indicates whether or not a biomolecular binding event occurred in the sample solution flowing in said micron-sized deep flow channel.

14. The interrogation system of claim 13, wherein said sensor is a grating-coupled waveguide sensor or a surface plasmon resonance sensor.

15. The interrogation system of claim 13, wherein said micron-sized deep flow channel and said sensor are incorporated within a H-well plate.

16. The interrogation system of claim 13, wherein said interrogation system is an angular interrogation system in which the optical beam is delivered via free-air to said sensor and in which the output optical beam is received via the free-air from said sensor.

17. The interrogation system of claim 13, wherein said interrogation system is a spectral interrogation system in which the optical beam is delivered via a waveguide to said sensor and in which the output optical beam is received via the waveguide from said sensor.