JP2006003151A - Production method and production device for probe carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a production method for an excellent probe carrier wherein purity of each arranged probe material is high, and a production device for the probe carrier allowing provision of the excellent probe carrier wherein the purity of each the arranged probe material is high, not allowing mixing of a different probe material with each the probe material disposed on a probe carrier substrate when producing the probe carrier by use of a liquid discharge unit. <P>SOLUTION: In this production device for the probe carrier, the liquid discharge unit discharging a probe solution has nozzles of the liquid discharge unit arranged in m-rows and n-columns discharging different liquids, m or n wipers wiping a nozzle face arranged with the plurality of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit is equipped, and a movable range of the wiper is set to be not more than a nozzle intervals of the liquid discharge unit discharging the different liquids. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for producing a probe carrier on a solid phase substrate, and a probe carrier production apparatus exclusively used for carrying out the production method.

  When analyzing the base sequence of gene DNA or simultaneously performing highly reliable genetic diagnosis on multiple items, it is necessary to select DNA having the target base sequence using multiple types of probes. Become. As a means for providing a plurality of types of probes used for this sorting operation, a DNA microchip has attracted attention. Also, in high-throughput screening of drugs, etc., or development of drugs by combinatorial chemistry, orderly screening of a large number of target proteins (for example, 96, 384, or 1536) of proteins or drugs Is required. Developed a method for arranging many kinds of drugs for that purpose, automated screening technology in that state, a dedicated device, software for controlling a series of screening operations and statistically processing the results Has been.

  Basically, these parallel screening operations are performed using a so-called probe carrier (probe array) in which a large number of known probes serving as screening means for the substance to be evaluated are arranged. It detects the presence or absence of an action or reaction on the probe material. In general, what kind of action or reaction is used for a probe material is determined in advance. Accordingly, the probe material mounted on one probe carrier is, for example, a group of DNA probe materials having different base sequences, etc. In general, it is one kind of substance. That is, substances used as a group of probe materials are, for example, DNA, protein, synthesized chemical substances (drugs), and the like. In many cases, a probe carrier composed of a plurality of types of probes is often used, but depending on the nature of the screening work, DNA having the same base sequence, protein having the same amino acid sequence, and the same may be used as the probe. It is possible to use an array in which a large number of chemical substances are arranged. These are mainly used for drug screening and the like.

  In the probe carrier comprising a plurality of types of probes, specifically, a plurality of members constituting a group of a group of DNAs having different base sequences, a group of proteins having different amino acid sequences, or a group of different chemical substances. In many cases, the seeds are arranged on a substrate or the like in an array according to a predetermined arrangement order. Among them, the DNA probe carrier is used when analyzing the base sequence of gene DNA or when performing highly reliable genetic diagnosis on multiple items at the same time.

  As one method of arranging a plurality of types of probes in an array on a substrate, there is a method in which a plurality of types of probe solutions are sequentially ejected at a desired timing using a liquid ejection unit and arranged on the substrate. An invention is disclosed in which an ink jet technique that is generally used for printers is used for the liquid discharge unit.

  For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-187900 discloses a method in which a liquid containing a probe material is attached to a solid phase as a droplet by a thermal ink jet head and the probe is arranged on the solid phase. In this method, DNA used as a probe material is synthesized and purified in advance, and in some cases, after confirming the base length, it is attached on a substrate.

  In addition, European Patent Publication No. EP 0 703 825B1 discloses that nucleotide monomers and activators used in the solid phase synthesis of DNA are supplied from separate piezo jet nozzles, respectively, so that a predetermined base sequence is obtained. A method for solid-phase synthesis of a plurality of DNAs having the above is described. In this method, solid phase synthesis of DNA is performed on a substrate, and a solution of a substance necessary for synthesis is supplied onto the substrate by an inkjet method at each extension stage.

  As introduced above, as a conventional method for producing a probe carrier, an ink-jet method technique generally used in printers is used.

  However, when producing the probe carrier, there is a problem if the ink ejection method for a printer is applied as it is to the probe solution ejection method. This point will be described in detail below using a DNA probe carrier as an example.

  As described above, in the DNA probe carrier, different types of probe materials are arranged on the substrate. For this reason, it is desired to use a liquid ejection unit capable of ejecting many kinds of liquids, unlike a conventional printer ink-jet head, for producing a probe carrier.

  In an inkjet head for a general printer, there are 4 to 7 types of ink used.

  FIG. 1 shows the arrangement of nozzles in a conventional head. FIG. 1 shows a nozzle configuration of a head that ejects ink of four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (BK).

  In FIG. 1, 11 is a nozzle and 12 is a nozzle surface.

  In current printers, there are heads having 256 to 512 nozzles per color, but for the sake of simplicity, FIG. 1 shows a head having 8 nozzles per color. In the head shown in FIG. 1, four nozzle rows composed of eight nozzles per color are arranged.

  During printing, unintended ink or dust may adhere to the nozzle surface. If such adhesion occurs, the ink ejection state may be affected and the print quality may be degraded.

  In order to prevent this, a general printer performs an operation called wiping at a desired timing during printing. In wiping, the surface of the nozzle surface is scanned with a wiper made of rubber or polymer to remove adhering ink and dust.

  In a general printer head as shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 2, wipers are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle rows ejecting the same color ink, and the wipers are arranged in the nozzle row arrangement direction (FIG. 2). Scan in the direction indicated by the white arrow.

  In FIG. 2, 13 is a wiper.

  A cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 2 is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, 14 is a flow path. In FIG. 3, only the portion of the nozzle material that forms the nozzle and the flow path is shown for easy explanation.

  When wiping is performed in this way, when the wiper passes through the nozzle portion, a part of the ink existing in the nozzle may be drawn out.

  In addition, a phenomenon is known in which a part of a sub-droplet called a satellite generated accompanying the discharged main droplet (main droplet) does not reach a printing material such as paper and adheres to the nozzle surface. In this case, satellites of ink ejected from the respective nozzles adhere to the vicinity of the respective nozzles.

  Since such a phenomenon is known, in general printer heads as described above, wiping is performed so that the scanning direction of the wiper coincides with the arrangement direction of the nozzles that eject ink of the same color. This prevents the phenomenon of color ink mixing, that is, color mixing.

  By the way, as described above, in the production of the probe carrier, it is desired to use a liquid discharge unit capable of discharging many kinds of liquids.

  FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of the nozzles of the liquid discharge unit. FIG. 4 shows a nozzle configuration of a liquid discharge unit having a nozzle array of 8 rows and 8 columns. In this liquid discharge unit, 64 different types of probe solutions are discharged from each of the 64 nozzles. In FIG. 4, 11 is a nozzle and 12 is a nozzle surface.

  In such a liquid discharge unit, when a wiping operation similar to that of a printer head as described above is performed, the nozzles that discharge different probe solutions are arranged in each row, so that the probe solutions are mixed.

  When the probe solution is discharged in such a state, each probe of the obtained probe carrier becomes a mixture of unintended probe materials.

  Therefore, a good probe carrier cannot be produced simply by applying the wiping method for a printer to the production of the probe carrier as it is.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, and when manufacturing a probe carrier using a liquid discharge unit, different probe materials are not mixed with each probe material arranged on a probe carrier substrate. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a good probe carrier in which the purity of each probe material is high, and a probe carrier production apparatus that makes it possible to provide a good probe carrier in which the purity of each arranged probe material is high And

  As a result of diligent research in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have found that a single probe manufacturing apparatus includes m nozzles of liquid discharge units arranged in m rows and n columns for discharging different liquids. Alternatively, by providing n independent wipers and setting the movable range of the wipers to be equal to or less than the nozzle interval of the liquid discharge unit that discharges different liquids, unintentional mixing of the probe material that occurs when wiping is performed. It has been found that it can be made almost impossible.

  In addition, the inventor has the same number of wipers as the number of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit that discharges different liquids, and sets the movable range of the wipers to be equal to or less than the nozzle interval of the liquid discharge units that discharge different liquids. It has been found that almost no unintentional mixing of the probe material that occurs during wiping can occur.

  In addition, the inventor has the same number of wipers and liquid absorbers as the number of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit that discharges different liquids, and the movable range of the wipers is less than the nozzle interval of the liquid discharge units that discharge different liquids. After setting and wiping operation is completed, by having means to remove the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge unit by the liquid absorber, unintentional mixing of the probe material that occurs when wiping occurs I found out that it can be avoided.

  In the probe carrier manufacturing method of the present invention, even when wiping the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge unit, the phenomenon that different probe solutions filled in adjacent nozzles are mixed with each other can be eliminated. Good probe carriers with high purity can be obtained for each probe.

  Hereinafter, the method for producing the probe carrier of the present invention will be described in more detail. In addition, although the Example shown here is an example of the best embodiment of this invention, this invention is not limited by these Examples.

  FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the probe carrier manufacturing apparatus using the liquid discharge unit.

  In FIG. 5, 51 is a liquid discharge unit, 52 is a shaft that guides the movement of the liquid discharge unit substantially in parallel, 53 is a stage (substrate holding mechanism) to which a substrate of the probe carrier is fixed, and 54 is a substrate of the probe carrier. A glass substrate 55 is a wiping device for wiping.

  The liquid discharge unit 51 can move in the X direction in FIG. 5, and the stage 53 can move in the Y direction. Therefore, the liquid discharge unit 51 can move two-dimensionally relative to the stage 53.

  When the liquid discharge unit 51 passes over the glass substrate 54 fixed to the stage 53, the probe solution is discharged from the liquid discharge unit at a desired timing, and the probe is placed on the glass substrate.

  FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the probe carrier. The probes 56 are regularly arranged on the glass substrate 54 as shown in FIG.

  The diameter of the arranged probe is 10 μm to 150 μm, and the distance between adjacent probes is 50 μm to 1000 μm.

  When the probe material (for example, DNA) synthesized and purified in advance is arranged on the substrate, the liquid ejection unit 51 has a structure having a nozzle capable of ejecting the same number of probe solutions as the probes arranged on the glass substrate. preferable.

  For example, when the probe carrier having the 8 × 8 probe array shown in FIG. 6 is manufactured using the liquid discharge unit capable of discharging the 8 × 8 different probe material shown in FIG. A probe carrier can be produced without replacement of.

  In addition, it is preferable that the arrangement density of the probes of the probe carrier to be produced is equal to the arrangement density of the nozzles of the liquid ejection unit, because the probe carrier can be produced by one scan of the liquid ejection unit.

  FIG. 5 shows the structure of the probe carrier manufacturing apparatus when a plurality of glass substrates 54 are fixed and the probes are arranged. However, the probes are arranged on a single large glass substrate, and then the glass substrates are mounted. A plurality of probe carriers may be obtained by cutting.

  FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of the liquid discharge unit. As a method for discharging liquid, there are a thermal jet method in which liquid is discharged by heat energy generated from a heater, and a piezo jet method in which liquid is discharged by deformation of an element generated by applying a voltage to a piezo element. FIG. 7 shows the structure of a thermal jet type liquid discharge unit.

  In FIG. 7, 71 is a silicon substrate, 72 is an insulating film, 73 is a heater made of TaN, TaSiN, TaAl or the like, 74 is a protective film, 75 is a cavitation resistant film made of Ta or the like, 76 is a nozzle material, 77 is a nozzle, 78 is a flow path, and 79 is a supply port.

  A wiring (not shown) made of aluminum or the like is connected to both ends of the heater 73, and a desired voltage pulse is applied to both ends of the heater 73 via the wiring.

  The insulating film 72 may be any film such as a thermal oxide film formed by thermally oxidizing a silicon substrate, or an oxide film or a nitride film formed by CVD.

  The protective film 74 may be any film such as an oxide film or a nitride film formed by CVD.

  The nozzle material 76 that forms the nozzle 77 and the flow path 78 may be formed by attaching a nozzle material having a nozzle and a flow path to a semiconductor substrate in advance, or by using a semiconductor process using a photolithography technique. May be.

  The supply port 79 is produced by anisotropic etching of silicon using a tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution, and is inclined at an angle of about 54.7 ° with respect to the substrate surface as shown in FIG. Open. The supply port 79 supplies a liquid (probe solution) from the back surface of the substrate to the substrate surface, and also functions as a liquid reservoir that holds the liquid (probe solution).

  When the number of probe carriers manufactured is small and the amount of probe solution discharged to one probe is small, the amount of probe solution present in the supply port may be sufficient for manufacturing a series of probe carriers. When more probe solution needs to be discharged, a second reservoir (not shown) connected to the supply port 79 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the liquid (probe solution) is guided from the supply port 79 to the substrate surface, and then to the nozzle 77 through the flow path 78. When a desired voltage pulse is applied to both ends of the heater 73, the liquid (probe solution) in the vicinity of the heater is overheated to cause film foaming, and the liquid is ejected as shown in FIG.

  In order to stably discharge the liquid (probe solution), it is essential to cause film foaming stably. In order to cause stable film foaming, it is desirable to apply a voltage pulse of 0.1 to 5 μs to the heater.

  The amount of probe solution discharged from one nozzle at a time depends on various factors such as the viscosity of the probe solution, the affinity between the probe solution and the solid phase substrate, and the reactivity between the probe material and the solid phase substrate. These are appropriately selected depending on the dot size and shape of the probe (array) to be formed. In general, the probe solution uses an aqueous solvent, and in the method of the present invention, the probe solution droplets discharged from each nozzle of the liquid discharge unit generally have a liquid volume of 0.5 pl. It is preferable that the nozzle diameter is selected within the range of 100 pl and the nozzle diameter is designed in accordance with the liquid volume.

  It is desirable that the probe material has a structure that can be bonded to the solid phase substrate. After the probe solution is discharged and applied, the probe material is preferably bonded to the solid phase substrate using the bondable structure. The structure capable of binding to this solid phase substrate includes, for example, amino group, mercapto group, carboxyl group, hydroxyl group, acid halide (—COX), halide, aziridine, maleimide, succinimide, isothiocyanate, sulfonyl chloride (—SO 2 Cl). ), Aldehyde (—CHO), hydrazine, iodoacetamide, and other organic functional groups are introduced into the probe material molecule in advance. In that case, on the other hand, the surface of the substrate needs to be subjected in advance to a structure that reacts with the various organic functional groups to form a covalent bond and a treatment for introducing the organic functional group.

  Next, the liquid discharge unit, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described.

  The probe carrier manufacturing apparatus described with reference to FIG. 5 includes the wiping device 55 shown in FIG. 5 as described above.

  As described above, when the probe material is arranged, wiping is performed at a desired timing to remove unintended ink and dust attached to the nozzle surface.

  When wiping is performed, the liquid discharge unit 51 moves to the wiping device 55 and receives a wiping operation.

  As described above, the conventional wiping method using a printer head is not suitable for wiping the liquid discharge unit. This will be described with reference to FIG.

  Consider a conventional wiping method, that is, a case where the wiper is moved in a direction parallel to the nozzle arrangement direction as indicated by an arrow in FIG. As described above, in the liquid discharge unit, different solutions are discharged from the respective nozzles. Therefore, a total of 64 nozzles in 8 rows and 8 columns shown in FIG. 9 are filled with 64 different types of probe solutions.

  In FIG. 9, the columns are A, B, C,... H in order from the left, and the rows are 1, 2, 3,.

  For example, in the case of the A row, there are 8 nozzles A-1 to A-8 in the A row, and 8 different types of probe solutions are filled in the nozzles.

  Here, when the conventional wiping is performed, the wiper first passes through the nozzle A-1, but when the wiper passes through the nozzle A-1, the probe solution filled in the nozzle is slightly pulled out. .

  Further, in the vicinity of the nozzle A-1, there is a case where the satellite adheres, that is, the probe solution discharged from the nozzle A-1 adheres.

Therefore, the wiper passes through the nozzle A-2 while moving the probe solution filled in the nozzle A-1. At this time, a part of the probe solution filled in the nozzle A-1 carried by the wiper enters the nozzle A-2.
That is, the probe solution filled in the nozzle A-1 is mixed with the probe solution filled in the nozzle A-2.

  Similarly, as the wiper moves, the probe solution filled in the nozzle A-2 is carried to the nozzle A-3.

  A similar phenomenon is repeated up to nozzle A-8.

The same phenomenon occurs in the other columns, that is, the B column to the H column.
Thus, the structure of the conventional liquid discharge unit is not suitable for wiping the liquid discharge unit.

  FIG. 10 shows the structure of the wiping device of the present invention. In the present invention, the wiping device includes m or n wipers in the case of a liquid discharge unit including nozzles arranged in m rows and n columns. Here, a liquid discharge unit having 8 rows and 8 columns of nozzles is described as an example, so that the number of wipers is 8 as shown in FIG. Eight wipers are integrated to form the wiper unit 15.

  FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB ′ of FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, the wiper unit 15 includes a plurality of wipers 13 and a wiper support portion 16.

  This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG.

  In FIG. 12, reference numeral 17 denotes a probe solution existing on the nozzle surface, which is generated due to adhesion of satellites or the like. If such an unintended probe solution is present on the nozzle surface in the vicinity of the nozzle, droplet landing accuracy is reduced, and ejection abnormalities such as undischarge occur.

  FIG. 12A is a diagram when the liquid discharging unit is moved to the wiping device portion indicated by 55 in FIG. After the liquid discharge unit has moved to a desired position, the wiper unit 15 approaches the liquid discharge unit as indicated by an arrow in FIG.

When the wiper 13 of the wiper unit 15 comes into contact with the nozzle surface 12 of the liquid discharge unit, the movement of the wiping device in the direction of the liquid discharge unit is finished, and the wiping operation is started. (Fig. 12-2)
The wiping operation is performed in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG.

By wiping, the probe solution adhering to the vicinity of the nozzle is moved to a position sufficiently away from the nozzle that does not affect the liquid ejection. (Fig. 12-3)
After the wiper unit has moved in parallel with the nozzle surface for a desired distance, the wiper unit 15 is separated from the liquid discharge unit, and the series of wiping operations is completed (FIG. 12-4).

  As shown in FIG. 13, if the distance X that the wiper unit moves in parallel to the nozzle surface with respect to the liquid discharge unit is set to a value narrower than the nozzle interval Y, the wiper unit adheres to the vicinity of the nozzle or is wiped from the nozzle by wiping. The probe solution drawn out is not carried near the nozzle for discharging different probe solutions. Therefore, mixing of the probe solution does not occur.

  FIG. 14 shows the shape of the wiper. FIG. 14 is a view of the wiper viewed from the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. The shape of the wiper may be such that a plurality of nozzles arranged in each row can be wiped with one wiper as shown in FIG. 14-1, or each nozzle is wiped as shown in FIG. 14-2. The shape may be a notch between regions, or may be a shape that is completely separated for each nozzle as shown in FIG.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when the probe carrier is manufactured using the liquid discharge unit, each probe material arranged on the probe carrier substrate is not mixed with different probe materials. A good probe carrier with high material purity can be produced.

  FIG. 15 shows a second embodiment. In the second embodiment, in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 5 in the first embodiment, a liquid absorbing device indicated by 57 in FIG. 15 is provided.

  This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 16A is a diagram when the wiping described in the first embodiment is completed. As described above, the probe solution is moved to a position sufficiently away from the nozzle that does not affect the discharge of the liquid by wiping. (Fig. 12-3)
After the wiping is completed, the liquid discharge unit moves from the wiping device unit 55 to the liquid absorption device unit 57.

  FIG. 16B is a diagram when the liquid absorber unit moves to the liquid absorber unit indicated by 57 in FIG. 15.

  After the liquid discharge unit has moved to a desired position, the liquid absorber unit 19 approaches the liquid discharge unit as indicated by an arrow in FIG.

  The structure of the liquid absorber unit has the same structure as the wiper unit, for example, as shown in FIG. The liquid absorber unit 19 includes a plurality of liquid absorbers 18 and a liquid absorber support 16.

The liquid absorber 18 of the liquid absorber unit 19 comes into contact with the nozzle surface 12 of the liquid discharge unit (FIG. 16-3), and after a desired time has elapsed, the liquid absorber unit 19 leaves the liquid discharge unit, and the series of operations ends. To do. (Fig. 16-4)
By this series of operations, the probe solution existing on the nozzle surface generated by wiping is removed.

  Thus, in this embodiment, the probe solution adhering to the nozzle surface can be completely removed, so that the adverse effect of the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface on the ejection of the probe solution can be completely eliminated.

  Since the liquid absorber 18 does not contact the vicinity of the nozzle, the substance adhering to the liquid absorber 18 adheres to the vicinity of the nozzle when absorbing the liquid, and does not adversely affect the ejection of the probe solution.

  Here, for the sake of brevity, the wiper unit and the liquid absorber unit have been shown to have the same configuration, but the shape of the liquid absorber unit is not limited to the shape shown here, and is near the nozzle. Any shape that does not touch the surface is acceptable.

  FIG. 17 shows a third embodiment. In FIG. 17, 58 is a wiping and liquid absorbing device. In the second embodiment, the case where the wiping device and the liquid absorbing device exist separately is shown. In the third embodiment, a case where a wiping operation and a liquid absorption operation are performed in common is described.

  FIG. 18 shows a wiper / liquid absorber unit used in the wiping / liquid absorber. FIG. 18 is a view of the wiper / liquid absorber unit viewed from the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 10 used in the description of the first embodiment. The wiper / liquid absorber unit is formed of a wiper 13, a liquid absorber 19, and a support portion 16.

  When wiping is performed, as shown in FIG. 18A, the wiping is performed as described above at the position where the wiper corresponds to the nozzle portion.

  When the probe solution remaining on the nozzle surface is absorbed after wiping is completed, the liquid absorber moves to the position corresponding to the nozzle portion as shown by the arrow in FIG. Absorb.

  As described above, in the first to third embodiments, the probe carrier manufacturing method and the probe carrier manufacturing apparatus in which the phenomenon that the probe solutions filled in the adjacent nozzles are not mixed at the time of wiping do not occur have been described.

  In the above description, for the sake of clarity, one type of probe solution has been described with the simplest liquid discharge unit configuration in which one type of probe solution is discharged from one nozzle, but one type of probe material is discharged. A configuration having a plurality of nozzles may be used. In this case, a groove may be provided between nozzles that discharge different probe solutions.

  The form of the groove of the present invention is not limited to the form shown in the first to third embodiments.

  Further, the description has been made by using the thermal jet type liquid discharge unit, but the present invention is not limited to the thermal jet type, and can be applied to other types of liquid discharge units such as the piezo jet method. .

It is a schematic diagram which shows the arrangement | sequence form of the nozzle of the conventional head. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the conventional wiping method of a head. It is a schematic diagram (cross-sectional view) for explaining a conventional head wiping method. It is a schematic diagram which shows the arrangement | sequence form of the nozzle of a liquid discharge unit. It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a probe carrier manufacturing apparatus. It is a schematic diagram of a probe carrier. It is a schematic diagram of a liquid discharge unit. It is a schematic diagram of a liquid discharge unit. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining a problem when a conventional head wiping method is applied to a liquid discharge unit. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the 1st Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the 1st Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the 1st Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the 1st Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the 1st Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the 2nd Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the 2nd Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the 3rd Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the 3rd Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Nozzle 12 Nozzle surface 13 Wiper 14 Flow path 15 Wiper unit 16 Support part 17 Probe solution 18 Liquid absorber 19 Liquid absorption unit 51 Liquid discharge unit 52 Shaft 53 Stage 54 Glass substrate 55 Wiping apparatus 56 Probe 57 Liquid absorption apparatus 58 Wiping Liquid absorber 71 Silicon substrate 72 Insulating film 73 Heater 74 Protective film 75 Anti-cavitation film 76 Nozzle material 77 Nozzle 78 Flow path 79 Supply port

Claims (10)

A method of manufacturing a probe carrier in which each of a plurality of types of probes is arranged on the substrate by discharging a plurality of types of probe solutions containing a probe material from a liquid discharge unit,
The liquid discharge unit for discharging the probe solution includes nozzles of liquid discharge units arranged in m rows and n columns for discharging different liquids, and wiping a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit are arranged A method of manufacturing a probe carrier, comprising: m or n wipers, wherein a movable range of the wipers is set to be equal to or less than a nozzle interval of a liquid discharge unit that discharges different liquids. A method of manufacturing a probe carrier in which each of a plurality of types of probes is arranged on the substrate by discharging a plurality of types of probe solutions containing a probe material from a liquid discharge unit,
A probe comprising the same number of wipers as the number of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit that discharges the probe solution, wherein the movable range of the wipers is set to be equal to or less than the nozzle interval of the liquid discharge units that discharge different liquids. A method for producing a carrier. A method of manufacturing a probe carrier in which each of a plurality of types of probes is arranged on the substrate by discharging a plurality of types of probe solutions containing a probe material from a liquid discharge unit,
The liquid discharge unit for discharging the probe solution includes nozzles of liquid discharge units arranged in m rows and n columns for discharging different liquids, and wiping a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit are arranged And m or n wipers and a liquid absorber that removes the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface, and the movable range of the wiper is set to be equal to or less than the nozzle interval of the liquid discharge unit that discharges different liquids. A method for producing a probe carrier characterized by the above. A method of manufacturing a probe carrier in which each of a plurality of types of probes is arranged on the substrate by discharging a plurality of types of probe solutions containing a probe material from a liquid discharge unit,
A liquid discharge unit that includes the same number of wipers as the number of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit that discharges the probe solution, and a liquid absorber that removes liquid adhering to the nozzle surface, and discharges different liquids within the movable range of the wiper. A probe carrier manufacturing method, characterized in that the probe carrier is set to be equal to or smaller than a nozzle interval of a unit.   5. The method of manufacturing a probe carrier according to claim 3, wherein the number of the liquid absorbers is the same as the number of the wipers. An apparatus for manufacturing a probe carrier in which each of a plurality of types of probes is arranged on the substrate by discharging a plurality of types of probe solutions containing a probe material from the liquid discharge unit,
In the apparatus, the liquid discharge unit that discharges the probe solution includes nozzles of liquid discharge units that are arranged in m rows and n columns that discharge different liquids, and a plurality of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit are disposed. An apparatus for manufacturing a probe carrier, comprising m or n wipers for wiping a nozzle surface, wherein a movable range of the wipers is set to be equal to or less than a nozzle interval of a liquid discharge unit for discharging different liquids. An apparatus for manufacturing a probe carrier in which each of a plurality of types of probes is arranged on the substrate by discharging a plurality of types of probe solutions containing a probe material from the liquid discharge unit,
The apparatus includes the same number of wipers as the number of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit that discharges the probe solution, and sets the movable range of the wipers to be equal to or less than the nozzle interval of the liquid discharge units that discharge different liquids. An apparatus for producing a probe carrier. An apparatus for manufacturing a probe carrier in which each of a plurality of types of probes is arranged on the substrate by discharging a plurality of types of probe solutions containing a probe material from the liquid discharge unit,
In the apparatus, the liquid discharge unit that discharges the probe solution includes nozzles of liquid discharge units that are arranged in m rows and n columns that discharge different liquids, and a plurality of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit are disposed. M or n wipers for wiping the nozzle surface and a liquid absorber for removing the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface, and the movable range of the wiper is less than the nozzle interval of the liquid discharge unit that discharges different liquids An apparatus for manufacturing a probe carrier, characterized in that An apparatus for manufacturing a probe carrier in which each of a plurality of types of probes is arranged on the substrate by discharging a plurality of types of probe solutions containing a probe material from the liquid discharge unit,
A liquid discharge unit that includes the same number of wipers as the number of nozzles of the liquid discharge unit that discharges the probe solution, and a liquid absorber that removes liquid adhering to the nozzle surface, and discharges different liquids within the movable range of the wiper. An apparatus for manufacturing a probe carrier, characterized in that it is set to be equal to or less than the nozzle interval of the unit.   10. The probe carrier manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the number of the liquid absorbers is the same as the number of the wipers.

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