Single-molecule detection system and methods
First Claim
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1. A single-molecule detection system, comprising:
- a movable light coupler;
a waveguide comprising;
a core layer,a first cladding layer formed on the core layer, anda second cladding layer formed below the core layer,wherein at least one adapter site for the movable light coupler is formed in the first cladding layer without extending into the core layer and the second cladding layer; and
a light detector;
wherein the movable light coupler is able to localize a single-molecule object at the at least one adapter site, positionable adjacent the core layer, within an evanescent field generated by a light wave propagating along the core layer,wherein the movable light coupler is configured to couple the evanescent field when the movable light coupler is positioned within the evanescent field, thereby allowing formation of an induced light field around the surface of the light coupler,wherein the refractive index of the movable light coupler is higher than the refractive index of the first cladding layer, and the refractive index of the core layer is higher than the refractive indices of the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, andwherein the single-molecule object is not linked to the surface of the waveguide.
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Abstract
Embodiments encompass a single-molecule detection system and methods of using the detection system to detect an object. Further, embodiments encompass a detection system comprising a movable light coupler, a waveguide, and a light detector. Embodiments further encompass methods of single-molecule detection, including methods of single-molecule nucleic acid sequencing.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A single-molecule detection system, comprising:
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a movable light coupler; a waveguide comprising; a core layer, a first cladding layer formed on the core layer, and a second cladding layer formed below the core layer, wherein at least one adapter site for the movable light coupler is formed in the first cladding layer without extending into the core layer and the second cladding layer; and a light detector; wherein the movable light coupler is able to localize a single-molecule object at the at least one adapter site, positionable adjacent the core layer, within an evanescent field generated by a light wave propagating along the core layer, wherein the movable light coupler is configured to couple the evanescent field when the movable light coupler is positioned within the evanescent field, thereby allowing formation of an induced light field around the surface of the light coupler, wherein the refractive index of the movable light coupler is higher than the refractive index of the first cladding layer, and the refractive index of the core layer is higher than the refractive indices of the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, and wherein the single-molecule object is not linked to the surface of the waveguide. - 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, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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31. A method of detecting a single-molecule object, comprising:
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introducing an incident light from a light source into a waveguide, thereby forming an excitation light in the waveguide; localizing a single-molecule object on a movable light coupler; localizing the movable light coupler at an adapter site for movable light coupler formed in the waveguide, without linking the single-molecule object to the surface of the waveguide, the waveguide including a first cladding layer, a core layer formed below the first cladding layer, and a second cladding layer formed below the core layer, and the adapter site being formed in the first cladding layer without extending into the core layer and the second cladding layer; exciting, by the excitation light, the single-molecule object localized on the movable light coupler, causing the single-molecule object to emit a light to be detected by a light detector; generating an evanescent field introduced by a light wave propagating along the core layer; and coupling the evanescent field to the movable light coupler, and thereby allowing formation of induced light field around the surface of the light coupler, wherein the refractive index of the movable light coupler is higher than the refractive index of the first cladding layer, and the refractive index of the core layer is higher than the refractive indices of the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer.
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32. A method of detecting a single-molecule object, comprising:
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providing a detection apparatus comprising i) a movable light coupler; ii) a waveguide comprising; a core layer, a first cladding layer formed on the core layer, and a second cladding layer formed below the core layer, wherein at least one adapter site for the movable light coupler is formed in the first cladding layer without extending into the core layer and the second cladding layer; and a light detector; providing at least one binding moiety capable of binding a single-molecule object; localizing the at least one binding moiety individually on the movable light coupler; providing a single-molecule object molecule to the at least one binding moiety localized on the movable light coupler; localizing at the adapter site the movable light coupler on which the at least one binding moiety and single-molecule object are localized, without linking the single-molecule object to the surface of the waveguide; introducing an incident light from a light source into the waveguide, thereby forming an excitation light in the waveguide; exciting, by the excitation light, the single-molecule object molecule bound to the at least one binding moiety localized on the movable light coupler, causing the single-molecule object to emit a light to be detected by a light detector; generating an evanescent field induced by a light wave propagating along the core layer at the adapter site; and coupling the evanescent field to the movable light coupler, and thereby allowing formation of an induced light field around the surface of the light coupler, wherein the refractive index of the movable light coupler is higher than a refractive index of the first cladding layer, and the refractive index of the core layer is higher than the refractive indices of the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer.
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Specification