Apparatus for single-molecule detection
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A single molecule detection apparatus, comprising:
- a) a waveguide comprising;
a core layer; and
a first cladding layer made of a dielectric material, whereinat least one nanowell is formed in at least the first cladding layer, andan upper opening of the at least one nanowell is larger than a bottom of the at least one nanowell;
b) a first opaque protection layer arranged over the first cladding layer without extending into the at least one nanowell;
c) a second opaque protection layer arranged below the waveguide, the second opaque protection layer having a nanostructured metal pattern; and
d) at least one light detector.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting an object capable of emitting light. The apparatus includes a light source and a waveguide. The waveguide includes a core layer and a first cladding layer. At least one nanowell is formed in at least the first cladding layer. The apparatus further includes a light detector. The light detector can detect a light emitted from a single molecule object contained in the at least one nanowell.
136 Citations
52 Claims
-
1. A single molecule detection apparatus, comprising:
-
a) a waveguide comprising; a core layer; and a first cladding layer made of a dielectric material, wherein at least one nanowell is formed in at least the first cladding layer, and an upper opening of the at least one nanowell is larger than a bottom of the at least one nanowell; b) a first opaque protection layer arranged over the first cladding layer without extending into the at least one nanowell; c) a second opaque protection layer arranged below the waveguide, the second opaque protection layer having a nanostructured metal pattern; and d) at least one light detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
-
52. A method of detecting a single molecule, comprising:
-
emitting, by a light source, an incident light; coupling, by a coupler, the incident light into a waveguide, forming an excitation light in the waveguide; forming, by the excitation light and at least one nanowell formed in at least a cladding layer of the waveguide, an effective excitation zone, the cladding layer being formed of a dielectric material, a first opaque protection layer being arranged over the cladding layer without extending into the at least one nanowell, a second opaque protection layer arranged below the waveguide, the second opaque protection layer having a nanostructured metal pattern, and an upper opening of the at least one nanowell being larger than a bottom of the at least one nanowell; locating a single molecule object in the effective excitation zone; and exciting, by the excitation light, the single molecule object in the effective excitation zone, to cause the single molecule object to emit a light to be detected by a light detector.
-
Specification