Surface plasmon resonance spectrometer with an actuator driven angle scanning mechanism
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An instrument, comprising:
- a semicircular rail;
a sample stage for receiving a sample, the sample stage forming a plane;
a light source mount on the rail;
a light source on the light source mount;
a detector mount on the rail;
a detector on the detector mount;
a driving mechanism, wherein the driving mechanism comprises;
a) a driving bridge having a first pivot point and a second pivot point;
b) a first swing arm with a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the driving bridge through the first pivot point;
c) and a second swing arm with a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the driving bridge through the second pivot point, wherein the second end of the first swing arm is connected to a pivot point on the light source mount and the second end of the second swing arm is connected to a pivot point on the detector mount; and
a controller configured to drive the light source mount and the detector mount to move synchronously along the rail in opposite directions through a range of angles, receive a signal from the detector at a plurality of angles within the range, the signal corresponding to surface plasmon resonance responses, select an angle corresponding to a desired surface plasmon resonance response characteristic, and drive the light source mount and the detector mount to the selected angle.
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Abstract
Instruments and methods relating to surface plasmon imaging are described. An instrument comprises a semi-circular rail and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is attached to a light source mount and a detector mount, and both the light source mount and the detector mount are attached to the semi-circular rail with connectors. Each connector allows the light source mount and detector mount to slide along the rail. The synchronous movement of the light source mount and the detector mount changes the angle of incidence of a light beam from the light source with respect to the plane of the sample surface on the sample stage.
204 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An instrument, comprising:
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a semicircular rail; a sample stage for receiving a sample, the sample stage forming a plane; a light source mount on the rail; a light source on the light source mount; a detector mount on the rail; a detector on the detector mount; a driving mechanism, wherein the driving mechanism comprises;
a) a driving bridge having a first pivot point and a second pivot point;
b) a first swing arm with a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the driving bridge through the first pivot point;
c) and a second swing arm with a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the driving bridge through the second pivot point, wherein the second end of the first swing arm is connected to a pivot point on the light source mount and the second end of the second swing arm is connected to a pivot point on the detector mount; anda controller configured to drive the light source mount and the detector mount to move synchronously along the rail in opposite directions through a range of angles, receive a signal from the detector at a plurality of angles within the range, the signal corresponding to surface plasmon resonance responses, select an angle corresponding to a desired surface plasmon resonance response characteristic, and drive the light source mount and the detector mount to the selected angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24, 25)
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13. A method, comprising:
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providing a light source, a detector, and a sample comprising a microarray to be used in an assay, wherein the light source generates a light beam; directing the light beam at the microarray to form an angle of incidence between the light beam and the microarray; moving the light source and the detector synchronously by sliding the light source and detector in opposite directions along a semicircular rail, thereby modifying the angle of incidence, wherein at least one linear actuator controls the sliding of the light source and the detector along the semicircular rail; plotting the intensity of light at the detector against the magnitude of the displacement of the linear actuator to give a curve comprising a linear slope; choosing a specific point on the linear slope; moving the linear actuator to the displacement corresponding to the specific point to give a fixed angle of incidence; and performing an assay using the microarray at the fixed angle of incidence; wherein a) the light source is mounted on a light source mount;
b) the detector is mounted on a detector mount;
c) a first swing arm connects the light mount to an driving bridge;
d) a second swing arm connects the detector mount to the driving bridge, and e) one linear actuator moves the driving bridge in a path perpendicular to a plane where the sample resides. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23)
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20. A method, comprising:
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1) providing (a) a light source comprising a laser that operates in a wavelength range from about 360 nm to 2000 nm, (b) a detector comprising a CCD camera having pixels, and (c) a microarray comprising a gold substrate to be used in an assay, wherein the light source generates a light beam and the light beam generates surface plasmon resonance at the gold surface, wherein (i) the light source is mounted on a light source mount;
(ii) the detector is mounted on a detector mount;
(iii) a first swing arm connects the light mount to a driving bridge;
(iv) a second swing arm connects the detector mount to the driving bridge; and
(v) a linear actuator moves the driving bridge in a path perpendicular to a plane where the sample resides;2) directing the light beam at the microarray to form an angle of incidence between the light beam and the microarray; 3) moving the light source and the detector synchronously by sliding the light source and detector in opposite directions along a semicircular rail, thereby modifying the angle of incidence, wherein at least one linear actuator controls the sliding of the light source and the detector along the semicircular rail; 4) plotting the intensity of light at the detector against the magnitude of the displacement of the linear actuator that controls the sliding of the light source and the detector along the semicircular rail to give a curve comprising a linear slope; 5) choosing a specific point on the linear slope; 6) moving the linear actuator that controls the sliding of the light source and the detector along the semicircular rail to the displacement corresponding to the specific point to give a fixed angle of incidence; and 7) performing an assay using the microarray at the fixed angle of incidence. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification