Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
  • G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
  • G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
  • G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
  • G01N21/645—Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
  • G01N21/648—Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
  • G01N21/01—Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
  • G01N21/03—Cuvette constructions
  • G01N21/05—Flow-through cuvettes
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
  • G01N21/75—Systems in which material is subjected to a chemical reaction, the progress or the result of the reaction being investigated
  • G01N21/77—Systems in which material is subjected to a chemical reaction, the progress or the result of the reaction being investigated by observing the effect on a chemical indicator
  • G01N21/7703—Systems in which material is subjected to a chemical reaction, the progress or the result of the reaction being investigated by observing the effect on a chemical indicator using reagent-clad optical fibres or optical waveguides
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
  • G01N21/01—Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
  • G01N21/03—Cuvette constructions
  • G01N2021/0346—Capillary cells; Microcells

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device consisting of an optical waveguide, which has at least one diffractive element for coupling excitation radiation into the wave-guiding layer, and on the wave-guiding layer of which there is a second sealing layer made of a material which is at least on the support surface in the
• the area of the guided excitation radiation at least in the penetration depth of the evanescent field is transparent both for the excitation radiation and for the evanescently excited radiation, and which has at least in a partial area of the guided excitation radiation a recess for an analysis sample, the depth of which corresponds at least to the penetration depth of the evanescent field , and wherein the diffractive element in the coupling area of the excitation radiation is completely covered by the material of the second layer.
• the invention further relates to a method for the detection of evanescently luminescent excitable molecules in an analyte sample using the device.
• planar waveguides for generating and detecting evanescently excited radiation have recently been developed.
• a luminescence for example fluorescence
• the evanescently excited radiation emerging isotropically into the room is determined by means of suitable measuring devices such as photodiodes, photomultipliers or CCD cameras.
• suitable measuring devices such as photodiodes, photomultipliers or CCD cameras.
• This method is disclosed for example in WO 95/33197. It is also possible to couple out and measure the portion of the evanescently excited radiation that is fed back into the waveguide via a diffractive optical element, for example a grating. This method is described for example in WO 95/33198.
• biochemical detection elements are used either directly or via an adhesion-promoting layer immobilized on the waveguide surface.
• the sample is dissolved in solution, either in stop and flow or in flow, brought into contact with the detection elements immobilized on the waveguide surface.
• background luminescence or fluorescence in the depth of the sample can be excited by excitation of unbound luminescent or fluorescent molecules by means of the portion of the excitation light that is not coupled into the waveguide, but enters the solution as a zero order, without diffraction partially couple the coupling grating into the waveguide and can impair the accuracy and sensitivity of the determination of the analyte.
• WO 97/01087 describes a counterflow cell in which a sample-free barrier volume is achieved in the area of coupling elements of optical waveguides by means of a transparent reference liquid guided in countercurrent to the analyte sample and not specifically acting with the detection elements, in order to ensure constant conditions in the To ensure coupling area of the excitation radiation.
• this embodiment which has been improved especially for the measurement of evanescently excited radiation, is technically relatively complex, in particular hardly usable for stop / flow applications, and is therefore unsuitable for routine use in, for example, diagnostic devices in the sense of easy handling.
• GEL 26 elements on the waveguide surface.
• a dye solution in the absorption-dependent measurement or liquids with different refractive indices in the refractive index-dependent measurement adsorption phenomena on the surface are not taken into account.
• the expected changes in the effective refractive index for a mode guided in the waveguide even when a monolayer of molecules is adsorbed, are negligible compared to the strong changes in the refractive index of the supplied solutions, in contrast to the expected disturbances in the very much more sensitive method of determining the luminescence generated in the evanescent field.
• the sample contact with the coupling elements is of course even necessary to generate the measurement signal. Because of this configuration, with the coupling and decoupling element located within the sample flow channel, the sample cell only has the task of sealing against liquid leakage, without any further demands on the optical properties of the material.
• the coupling element Due to the fact that the recess follows the coupling element with respect to the direction of propagation of excitation radiation and that the diffractive element (coupling element) is covered by a layer forming the recess, the coupling element has constant coupling conditions for the excitation radiation.
• jumps in the refractive index in the area of penetration of excitation radiation into the material adjacent to the waveguide are largely minimized.
• a largely interference-free guidance of the excitation radiation and evanescently excited and fed-back radiation is achieved in the waveguide, which leads to a high signal yield and, for example, also provides usable analysis results in routine use even under examination conditions that are often not quite optimal.
• the rounding also suppresses disruptive refractive index jumps.
• a first subject of the invention is a device comprising a planar optical waveguide, consisting of a transparent support (40) and a waveguiding layer (41), the waveguide at least via a diffractive element (42) for coupling excitation radiation into the waveguiding Layer, and on the waveguiding layer there is a further sealing layer (43) made of a material that is transparent to the excitation radiation as well as to the evanescently excited radiation, at least on the support surface at least in the penetration depth of the evanescent field, and that at least in a partial area of the guided excitation radiation has an upwardly open recess (45) or an upwardly closed recess (6) connected via an inflow channel (2) and outflow channel (3) for an analysis sample, the depth of which is at least the penetration depth of the evanescent field corresponds and and that diffractive element (42) is completely covered by the material of the layer (43) at least in the coupling region of the excitation radiation.
• Optical waveguides with one or two diffractive elements for coupling in the excitation radiation and coupling out the luminescent radiation and their dimensioning for determinations of analyte molecules according to the fluorescence method are known and are described, for example, in WO 95/33197 and WO 95/33198.
• Diffractive elements include Decoupling elements understood for light radiation. Lattices are often used, which can be manufactured in different ways. For example, such gratings can be arranged in the transparent support or the waveguiding layer and during the shaping process or afterwards. It is also possible to generate such grids using ablative methods (laser radiation). Other manufacturing processes are holographic recordings or ion storage by ion bombardment.
• the layer (43) forming a recess is transparent at least on the support surface for electromagnetic radiation in the region of the excitation wavelength and the luminescence wavelength. It can be an inorganic material such as glass or quartz or transparent organic polymers (organic glasses) such as polyester, polycarbonates, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates or photopolymers.
• the layer (43) is preferably formed by an elastomer. Elastomers of polysiloxanes, such as polydimethylsiloxanes, which are soft and supple and often self-adhesive materials, are particularly suitable.
• the materials for the layer (43) are known and some of them are commercially available.
• the layer (43) with at least one recess can be produced by means of customary shaping processes, for example casting and pressing processes, or by means of grinding, stamping and milling processes from appropriately preformed semifinished products.
• the layer (43) can also consist of photopolymerizable substances which can be applied directly to the waveguiding layer by means of photolithographic methods.
• the layer (43) is preferably produced as a separate body and brought into tight sealing contact on the waveguide, on the surface of which, possibly on an additional thin (i.e. ⁇ 100 nm) adhesion-promoting layer, immobilized detection elements can be placed.
• the layer (43) can consist of a single material which is transparent and luminescence-free at least at the excitation wavelength and the luminescence wavelength of the analyte or can also be in the form of a two-layer layer, the first of which, which is brought into contact with the waveguide surface, at the excitation wavelength and luminescence wavelength of the Analyte must be transparent and luminescence-free, while the
• the thickness of the first layer in contact with the waveguide surface comprises at least the penetration depth (44) of the evanescent field, ie at least about 0.5 ⁇ m.
• This first layer is preferably 0.5 ⁇ m to 10 mm, more preferably 0.01 mm to 10 mm thick.
• the depth of the recesses can at least correspond to the penetration depth of the evanescent field, that is to say approximately 0.5 ⁇ m.
• the depth is preferably 0.5 ⁇ m to 10 mm, more preferably 0.01 to 10 mm, more preferably 0.05 to 5 mm, and particularly preferably 0.05 to 2 mm.
• jumps in refractive index between the wave-guiding layer (41) and the layer 43 are avoided. This can be done by rounding the boundary of the recess on the support perpendicular to the waveguiding layer. Rounded transition perpendicular to the surface of the waveguide, at the boundaries of the cutouts, means that a right angle is avoided.
• the curve can be part of a circular, parabolic or hyperbolic course.
• the rounding is formed automatically by pressing on the waveguide. The rounding can also be preformed by the shaping process.
• Jumps in refractive index can also be avoided if the recess is continuously tapered in the direction of the propagation of the excitation light. Another possibility is to choose the material of the layer (43) with a refractive index close to or equal to the refractive index of the analyte sample.
• the evanescently excited radiation emerging isotropically into the room can be determined by means of suitable measuring devices.
• the device according to the invention can also contain a second diffractive element in the waveguide for coupling out evanescently excited radiation that is fed back into the waveguide.
• This diffractive element is also advantageously completely covered by the material of the layer (43), at least in the coupling-out area, and the transition of the layer (43) perpendicular to the waveguide surface is advantageously rounded in this case too, at least in the direction of this diffractive element.
• a multiplication of the cutouts is provided, so that more than one, for example 2 to 100 and more, preferably 4 to 100 cutouts are provided, which can be arranged along or across the propagation of the excitation radiation.
• cutouts can be arranged in a row one behind the other transversely to the propagation of the excitation radiation; in this case 2 to 10 and particularly preferably 2 to 5 recesses are preferably provided.
• Another possibility is that several individual diffractive elements are provided in a row or a long diffractive element, and the cutouts are arranged parallel (that is, lengthways) to the direction of propagation of the excitation light. In this case there may be 100 or more cutouts.
• light-absorbing materials for example dyes, pigments, carbon black, metal oxides or metals, in order to suppress scattered radiation along the cutouts.
• These materials can be provided in additional recesses provided for this purpose along the direction of propagation of the excitation light, or they can be applied flatly along the direction of propagation of the excitation light on the surface of the waveguiding layer. Flat configurations are expedient, which can be easily produced by means of coating or vapor deposition processes.
• the absorbent materials can also be applied over the diffractive elements while keeping the coupling area free.
• the device can, for example, be designed so that between the flow cell (1, 26, 30, 35, 38) and the waveguide (7) on both sides of the or each recess (6) in the spectral range of excitation radiation (18) and evanescently excited radiation ( 21) absorbent damping material is provided, or that the damping material (27) is applied as a surface immersion, or that damping recesses (33) are provided which can be filled with damping material.
• Devices with recesses open at the top can be designed in the same way.
• the device according to the invention can be in different embodiments, a distinction being made between embodiments with an open recess (embodiment A) and a closed recess (embodiment B, flow cells).
• the open recesses can have any shape per se; for example, they can be square, rectangular, round or ellipsoid.
• the design of devices according to the invention can, for example, correspond to the shape of known microtiter plates.
• the geometrical arrangement of the recesses is in itself arbitrary, with row arrangements being preferred.
• embodiment A can also be used analogously.
• a device for generating evanescently excited radiation, which has at least one decoupling element for decoupling evanescently excited radiation from the waveguide, it is expedient that the flow cell also covers the or each decoupling element.
• the recess is arranged completely between the or each coupling element and the or each coupling element, so that both the or each coupling element and the or each coupling element is free of sample material. This has the advantage that both coupling and decoupling of excitation radiation or evanescently excited radiation have constant coupling conditions that are unaffected by the sample material.
• recesses are provided, which are arranged along or across the direction of propagation of excitation radiation.
• absorbent material between the recesses in the penetration region of excitation radiation and evanescently excited radiation in the spectral range of these radiations, for example from the ultraviolet to infrared spectral range, in order to prevent overcoupling of radiation components between the recesses .
• This can be done, for example, by an absorbent layer that is applied between the soot cell and the waveguide.
• damping recesses which can be filled with a radiation-absorbing liquid and are opened to the same surface side as the recesses are introduced into the flow cell between a plurality of recesses which are oriented parallel to the direction of propagation by the excitation radiation.
• the flow cell For use in routine analysis, it is furthermore expedient for the flow cell to be made of a flexible material that tightly closes the at least one recess when it is applied to the waveguide. As a result, it is possible to conduct sample material through the flow cell without leakage by placing a flow cell on the waveguide without additional aids.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device for generating evanescently excited radiation with a flow cell attached to a layer waveguide
• FIG. 2 shows the device according to FIG. 1 in plan view
• Fig. 3 shows the device according to Fig. 1 with the course of the refractive index in
• FIG. 4 shows a modified arrangement of the outlet duct compared to FIG. 2,
• FIG. 5 shows a device for generating evanescently excited radiation with a flow cell arranged on a layer waveguide, each with three sample channels and intermediate recesses, and with an attenuation layer applied to the layer waveguide,
• FIG. 6 shows the device according to FIG. 7 in plan view
• SPARE BLADE (RULE 26) 7 shows a device for generating evanescently excited radiation with a flow cell applied to a waveguide, each with three sample channels and three intermediate recesses and with damping channel arrangements provided between two recesses,
• Fig. 10 shows a device with a recess open at the top
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a soot cell 1 made of a flexible material.
• the soot cell 1 shown in FIG. 1 is made of an elastic, flexible polymer material which is transparent to electromagnetic radiation at least in the visible and near infrared spectral range.
• a polydimethylsiloxane such as Sylgard 182 or Sylgard 184 (Dow Coming) or from the RTVE series (room temperature-crosslinkable elastomers, Wacker Chemitronic) is preferably provided as the polymer material.
• RTVE series room temperature-crosslinkable elastomers, Wacker Chemitronic
• the flow cell 1 has an inlet channel 2 as the first sample channel and an outlet channel 3 as the second sample channel for the inlet or outlet of sample liquid, these functions being interchangeable.
• the inlet channel 2 and the outlet channel 3 extend between a cover surface 4 and a recess 6, which is made in a support surface 5 opposite the cover surface 4, as a giant channel.
• the recess 6 is open on its side facing the support surface 5 and extends between the inlet channel 2 and the outlet channel 3.
• the soot cell 1 is attached to a waveguide 7, for example made of TiO 2 or Ta 2 O 5, in a self-adhesive manner.
• the soot cell 1 is attached to the waveguide with an adhesive such as, for example, a transparent adhesive.
• an adhesive such as, for example, a transparent adhesive.
• ATZBLA ⁇ RULE 26 it flexibly adapts to the surface structure of the waveguide 7 and thus leads to a seal without additional sealing elements being necessary.
• the relatively thin waveguide 7 is applied to a mechanically stable substrate 8, for example made of glass or a polycarbonate, and is firmly connected to it.
• a mechanically stable substrate 8 for example made of glass or a polycarbonate
• the flow cell 1, the waveguide 7 and the substrate 8 form a cuboid-shaped body with flush lateral boundary surfaces.
• other geometries such as, for example, ellipsoids, regular or irregular polygons also with a trapezoidal cross section are provided.
• a coupling grating 10 is introduced as a dispersive coupling element transversely to the orientation of the recess 6 between an end face 9 adjacent to the inlet duct 2 and the inlet duct 2, said coupling grating essentially extending between the two side surfaces running parallel to the recess 6 11, 12 of an analysis unit 13 formed by the flow cell 1, the layer waveguide 7 and the substrate 8.
• a coupling-out grating 15 is introduced into the layer waveguide 7 parallel to the coupling-in grating 10 between the outlet channel 3 and an outlet-side end face 14 as a dispersive coupling-out element.
• a plurality of coupling-in gratings and / or coupling-out gratings are provided, which serve as coupling-in elements or coupling-out elements.
• Decoupling elements are unnecessary when detecting isotropically scattered portions of evanescently excited radiation.
• FIG. 2 shows a top view of the top surface 4 of the flow cell 1. From FIG. 2 it can be seen that the recess 6 extends with an edge distance between the coupling grid 10 and the coupling grid 15, so that both the coupling grid 10 and the coupling grid 15 is free of a sample liquid flowing through the inlet channel 2, the recess 6 and the outlet channel 3.
• Both the inlet channel 2 and the outlet channel 3 have a round or a polygonal cross section, not shown, and open into the recess 6 in an inlet opening 16 as the first sample passage opening or in an outlet opening 17 as the second sample passage opening illustrated embodiment are the input
• Inlet opening 16 and the outlet opening 17 are arranged directly at the ends of the recess 6 facing the coupling grid 10 and the coupling grid 15, the inlet duct 2 and the outlet duct 3 being introduced into the flow cell 1 at right angles to the recess 6.
• the inlet duct 2 and the outlet duct 3 are arranged at an oblique angle to the recess 6 in order to reduce the flow resistance in the region of the inlet opening 16 and the outlet opening 17 compared to a rectangular arrangement.
• FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a device in the area of the coupling-in grating 10 with excitation radiation 18 from a light source not shown in FIG. 5 for generating evanescently excited radiation with the flow cell 1, the layer waveguide 7 applied to a substrate 8 and with a through the sample liquid 19 flowing through the inlet channel 2, the recess 6 and the outlet channel 3.
• the sample liquid 19 contains, for example, symbolically represented luminescent molecules 20 to be analyzed.
• the excitation radiation 18 impinging on the coupling-in grating 10 is coupled into the waveguide 7 by diffraction and propagates as a guided wave in the direction of the coupling-out grating 15.
• the luminescent molecules 20 contained in the sample liquid 19 are replaced by the so-called evanescent component of the excitation radiation 18, that is to say the exponentially decaying radiation component entering the material adjacent to the waveguide 7. stimulated to luminescence.
• the excitation radiation 18 guided in the waveguide 7 reaches the area of the recess 6 in which molecules 20 can be excited in the evanescently decaying radiation part Luminescence radiation as evanescently excited radiation 21 is partially coupled back into the waveguide 7. Due to the transparency of the region of the flow cell 1 adjoining the waveguide 7, both the transmitted excitation radiation 18 and the evanescent excited radiation 21 coupled into the waveguide 7 are guided to the coupling-out grating 15.
• the excitation radiation 18 is spatially separated from the radiation 21, which is generally frequency-shifted and evanescently excited.
• a detection device is provided in the propagation clearing of the evanescently excited radiation 21.
• BLOCK BLADE (RULE 26) Unit 22 is provided, with which, for example, the intensity and its spectral distribution can be analyzed.
• FIG. 3 shows the refractive index denoted by “n”, plotted on the ordinate 23, depending on the position in the longitudinal direction in the penetration region of the evanescently excited radiation 21, denoted by “X”, which is marked on the abscissa 24.
• the different areas in the longitudinal direction with respect to the flow cell 1 are indicated with dashed lines on the abscissa 24.
• n 1.0 in air.
• n 1.33.
• FIG. 5 shows a simultaneous analysis unit 25 which, in addition to the waveguide 7 with coupling-in grating 10 and coupling-out grating 15 applied to the substrate 8, has a soot cell 26, each with three inlet channels 2, outlet channels 3 and extending between an inlet channel 2 and an outlet channel 3 Recesses 6 is provided.
• the waveguide 7 is structured in a strip shape such that a strip of the layer waveguide 7 is opposite a recess 6.
• a damping layer 27 which absorbs in the spectral range of excitation radiation 18 and evanescently excited radiation 21 is applied to the waveguide 7 on both sides of each recess 6, in order to prevent overcoupling, in particular, of evanescently excited radiation 21 from a recess 6 to the two other recesses 6 would falsify the measurement results.
• the damping layer 27 delimiting each recess 6 on the longitudinal side results in a strong absorption of radiation components emerging from the region of the recesses 6. This makes it possible to examine different sample liquids 19 in the three recesses 6 at the same time, since even when decoupled by the decoupling grating 15, the respective evanescently excited radiations 21 are spatially separated transversely to the direction of propagation.
• FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the waveguide 7 of the simultaneous analysis unit 25 according to FIG. 5.
• the damping layer 27 which extends between the coupling grating 10 and the coupling grating 15 essentially over the full width of the waveguide 7 is parallel to the respective
• ATZBLA ⁇ (RULE 26) Side surfaces 11, 12 aligned guide areas 28 interrupted with a rectangular base.
• the dimensions of the guide areas 28 correspond to the dimensions of the side facing the layer waveguide 7 of the recesses 6 made in the flow cell 26 according to FIG. 7.
• excitation radiation 18 coupled into the waveguide 7 via the coupling grating 10 becomes longitudinal in the guide areas 28 to the coupling-out grating 15 performed without any significant crosstalk between the guide areas 28 and thus the sample liquids 19 flowing in the recesses can take place.
• the damping layer 27 extends beyond the coupling-in grating 10 and the coupling-out grating 15, the guide regions 28 likewise being extended to the coupling-in grating 10 and the coupling-out grating 15.
• FIG. 7 shows a perspective illustration of a further exemplary embodiment of a simultaneous analysis unit 29, the structure of which corresponds to that of the simultaneous analysis unit 25 except for the measures for preventing crosstalk.
• the simultaneous analysis unit 29 has a flow cell 30, which between the three inlet channels 2, outlet channels 3 and recesses 6 each has a damping inlet channel 31, a damping outlet channel 32 and, in the illustration according to Rg. 9, is covered by the recesses 6 and the damping is open to the layer waveguide 7 - Has recess.
• the simultaneous analysis unit 29 has a flow cell 30, which between the three inlet channels 2, outlet channels 3 and recesses 6 each has a damping inlet channel 31, a damping outlet channel 32 and, in the illustration according to Rg. 9, is covered by the recesses 6 and the damping is open to the layer waveguide 7 - Has recess.
• a damping means shown in blackened form, is filled into the damping inlet channels 31, damping outlet channels 32 and the damping recess, for example with a liquid which absorbs dye in the spectral range of excitation radiation 18 and evanescently excited radiation 21.
• the damping recesses 33 are extended into the area of the coupling-in grille 10 and the coupling-out grating 15 with a corresponding offset of the damping inlet channels 31 and damping outlet channels 32, so that, particularly in the area of the coupling-out grille 15, there is no overlap in the area evanescently excited radiation 21 generated by different recesses 6 can take place.
• FIG. 8 shows a further simultaneous analysis unit 34 with a flow cell 35 in a top view of a section placed parallel to a waveguide 7.
• the flow cell 35 has a number of recesses 36, which are expediently spaced aquidistantly between the coupling-in grating 10 and the coupling-out grating 15 and aligned transversely to the direction of propagation of excitation radiation 18 coupled in via the coupling-in grating 10.
• different sample liquids 19 introduced into the recesses 36 can likewise be examined simultaneously via the evanescently excited radiation 21, a defined superimposition of the different radiation components of the evanescently excited radiation 21 being brought about here.
• FIG. 9 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a simultaneous analysis unit 37 in a section through a flow cell 38 in plan view of a section placed parallel to the layer waveguide 7.
• the flow cell 38 has a number of recesses 39 which are aligned parallel between the side surfaces 11, 12, but each only extend over a fraction of the distance between the coupling grid 10 and the coupling grid 15.
• the length of each recess 39 is approximately one fifth of the distance between the coupling-in grating 10 and the coupling-out grating 15.
• the recesses 39 are each in three transverse to the direction of propagation of excitation radiation coupled into the layer waveguide 7 via the coupling-in grating 10 18 extending groups are arranged, wherein the recesses 39 of the edge groups adjacent to the coupling-in grid 10 and the coupling-out grid 15 are aligned and the recesses 39 of the middle group are arranged transversely offset to this in gap areas of the edge groups.
• the simultaneous analysis unit 37 shown in FIG. 9 is particularly suitable for examining a large number of sample liquids 19 with interaction paths that are already relatively short to detect sufficiently intense evanescently excited radiation 21.
• a round and upwardly open recess is provided in the layer (43), which can be filled with the analyte sample.
• ATZBLA ⁇ (RULE 26) to provide an optical collection device of radiation 21 emitted in the free space, evanescently excited, the radiation evanescently excited in the region of each of the recesses 36, 39 being individually analyzable.
• the flow cells 26, 30, 35, 38 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, 7 and 8 and 9 are also preferably made of the material of the soot cell 1 shown in FIG. 1 and discussed there .
• the different geometries and arrangements of the recesses 6, 36, 39 can be produced in a particularly simple manner, so that even relatively complicated geometries or orientations are economical when used once are.
• the marker molecules required for detection in a device for producing evanescently excited radiation 21 with a soot cell 1, 26, 30, 35, 38 before use in some applications to apply specific reactions or recognition elements for specific binding of analytes to be detected later to the waveguide 7.
• These marker molecules are protected by the soot cell 1, 26, 30, 35, 38 above them.
• all flow cells 1, 26, 30, 35, 38 are made of an almost fluorescence-free material in order to overlap fluorescence radiation excited in the flow cells 1, 26, 30, 35, 38 with evanescence in the sample liquid 19 for analysis Avoid radiation 21 to any significant extent. It is furthermore expedient that the flow cells 1, 26, 30, 35, 38 are radiation-absorbing, for example on the end faces 9, 14, the side surfaces 11, 12 and the top surface 4, in order to prevent coupling-in of ambient radiation into the layer waveguide 7.
• soot cells 1, 26, 30, 35, 38 with the exception of a penetration area directly adjacent to the layer waveguide 7, for the evanescent portion of the excitation radiation 18 and the evanescent excited radiation 21 during manufacture in the interior area with a is provided over the spectral range absorbing dye.
• the device according to the invention can be produced by joining the planar waveguide and the preformed layer (43), if necessary with an adhesion promoter.
• the wave-guiding layer Before the assembly, the wave-guiding layer can be immobilized with a target molecule to be determined, and / or light-absorbing layers can be applied to the wave-guiding or the preformed layer.
• Another manufacturing method is to produce the layer (43) directly on the waveguiding layer, for example with photosensitive resins and photolithographic processes.
• the devices according to the invention are suitable for determining target molecules via an interaction which generates luminescence in the analyte sample, as is customary, for example, in affinity sensors.
• the method is carried out in a manner known per se in such a way that the recesses are filled with an analyte sample, then coupling excitation radiation and then measuring the luminescence generated, for example fluorescence radiation.
• devices according to the invention immobilized with a target molecule to be determined can optionally be stored under a neutral liquid or the analyte liquid for the production of luminescence for a longer period of time and the measurements can then be carried out later with further collected samples in one operation.
• Laser light is expediently used as excitation radiation.
• the invention also relates to the use of the device according to the invention for the determination of target molecules by the luminescence method, in particular in affinity sensors.
• Another object of the invention is a method for the determination of target molecules according to the luminescence method in an analyte sample, in which the analyte sample is placed in the recess of a device according to the invention, then exposed to excitation radiation, and then the luminescence produced is determined.

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• 1997
  • 1997-11-18 JP JP52320998A patent/JP3748571B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1997-11-18 AU AU62914/98A patent/AU6291498A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-11-18 EP EP97954883A patent/EP0938656B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
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  • 1997-11-18 AT AT97954883T patent/ATE308039T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1997-11-18 WO PCT/EP1997/006443 patent/WO1998022799A2/de not_active Ceased
  • 1997-11-18 US US09/308,096 patent/US6198869B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2000
  • 2000-12-22 US US09/742,391 patent/US6384912B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

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