Self-encoding sensor with microspheres
First Claim
1. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes, said method comprising:
- (a) providing an array comprising a population of sensor elements at a density of at least 20,000 sensor elements per 1 mm2, said population of sensor elements comprising different subpopulations of redundant sensor elements;
(b) contacting said array with a sample comprising a plurality of analytes under conditions wherein said analytes bind to said sensor elements, thereby producing signals at separate sensor elements;
(c) detecting the signals at the separate sensor elements in said subpopulations of redundant sensor elements; and
(d) combining the signals detected at the separate redundant sensor elements so as to produce an amplified signal indicative of said analytes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microsphere-based analytic chemistry system is disclosed in which 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. An optical fiber bundle sensor is also disclosed in which individual microsphere sensors are disposed in microwells at a distal end of the fiber bundle and are optically coupled to discrete fibers or groups of fibers within the bundle. 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.
-
Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes, said method comprising:
-
(a) providing an array comprising a population of sensor elements at a density of at least 20,000 sensor elements per 1 mm2, said population of sensor elements comprising different subpopulations of redundant sensor elements; (b) contacting said array with a sample comprising a plurality of analytes under conditions wherein said analytes bind to said sensor elements, thereby producing signals at separate sensor elements; (c) detecting the signals at the separate sensor elements in said subpopulations of redundant sensor elements; and (d) combining the signals detected at the separate redundant sensor elements so as to produce an amplified signal indicative of said analytes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of amplifying a response signal produced by a sensor array for a target analyte, said method comprising:
-
(a) providing an array comprising a population of sensor elements at a density of at least 20,000 sensor elements per 1 mm2, said population of sensor elements comprising different subpopulations of redundant sensor elements; (b) contacting said array with a sample comprising a target analyte under conditions wherein said target analyte binds to said redundant sensor elements in at least one subpopulation of redundant sensor elements, thereby producing signals at separate redundant sensor elements; (c) detecting the signals from the separate redundant sensor elements in at least one subpopulation of redundant sensor elements; and (d) summing the signals obtained from the separate redundant sensor elements, thereby amplifying the response signal produced. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method of increasing signal to noise in a sensor array, said method comprising:
-
(a) providing an array comprising a population of sensor elements at a density of at least 20,000 sensor elements per 1 mm2, said population of sensor elements comprising different subpopulations of redundant sensor elements; (b) contacting said array with a sample comprising a plurality of analytes under conditions wherein said plurality of analytes binds to sensor elements in said different subpopulations, thereby producing signals at separate redundant sensor elements; (c) detecting the signals from the separate redundant sensor elements within each different subpopulation; and (d) combining the signals detected at the separate redundant sensor elements within each different subpopulation so as to increase the signal as compared to the noise. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification