WO2001051198A1 - Procede destine a charger une sonde a l'aide de plasma - Google Patents

Procede destine a charger une sonde a l'aide de plasma Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001051198A1
WO2001051198A1 PCT/US2001/001262 US0101262W WO0151198A1 WO 2001051198 A1 WO2001051198 A1 WO 2001051198A1 US 0101262 W US0101262 W US 0101262W WO 0151198 A1 WO0151198 A1 WO 0151198A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
probe
plasma
chamber
plasma chamber
charged
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/001262
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Paul Hensley
Charles C. Carney
Original Assignee
Paul Hensley
Carney Charles C
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Paul Hensley, Carney Charles C filed Critical Paul Hensley
Priority to AU2001232802A priority Critical patent/AU2001232802A1/en
Publication of WO2001051198A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001051198A1/fr
Priority to US10/094,403 priority patent/US6724608B2/en
Priority to US10/813,593 priority patent/US20060144692A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/02—Burettes; Pipettes
    • B01L3/0275—Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J2219/00274—Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology
    • B01J2219/00277—Apparatus
    • B01J2219/00351—Means for dispensing and evacuation of reagents
    • B01J2219/00387—Applications using probes
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C40—COMBINATORIAL TECHNOLOGY
    • C40B—COMBINATORIAL CHEMISTRY; LIBRARIES, e.g. CHEMICAL LIBRARIES
    • C40B60/00—Apparatus specially adapted for use in combinatorial chemistry or with libraries
    • C40B60/14—Apparatus specially adapted for use in combinatorial chemistry or with libraries for creating libraries

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for charging a probe to pipette compounds in small volumes, and, more particularly, to a method utilizing a plasma- generating process to modify the surface properties by applying a charge to the probe.
  • a scheme using a metal probe that may or may not be coated with a non-metallic layer, which is attached to a pumping device
  • a scheme using a disposable pipet instead of the metal probe but otherwise similar (3) a scheme using a spray head and pumping system that propels multiple precisely metered microdroplets, and (4) a scheme using metal shafts with precisely machined hollowed out spaces that hold fluid by surface tension (commonly referred to a "pin tool").
  • Some pump and probe/spray head/pin tool configurations allow the plasma to be pulled into the probe/spray head/pin tool internal spaces thereby adding an additional variable to the affect of the plasma charge on the liquid.
  • Plasma technology is known in the art and is presently primarily used in connection with semiconductor manufacturing and in the sterilization of medical devices.
  • plasma technology is used, via plasma deposition and plasma etching, to create the circuit lines on the wafer. These two techniques are used to deposit material on a surface, as opposed to imparting an electrical charge to the surface.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,633,424 relates to a method of sterilizing items using a water vapor-based plasma.
  • the items to be sterilized are placed in a chamber, which is then evacuated.
  • Water vapor is introduced into the chamber and is allowed to uniformly disperse throughout the chamber.
  • Electromagnetic radiation energy is then applied to the chamber, fractionating the water molecules into reactive radicals. These radicals then combine with the microorganisms on the items, effectively vaporizing the microorganisms.
  • the by-product gases are exhausted from the chamber, and the now- sterilized items can be removed from the chamber.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,700,327 recites a method for removing organic compounds from hollow containers, thereby cleaning the containers.
  • the container is placed into a vacuum chamber, and an oxidizing gas is introduced into the chamber.
  • An electric field is then applied to the chamber, converting the oxidizing gas into a low temperature plasma, which then oxidizes substantially all of the organic compounds within the container.
  • U.S. Patent No, 6,059,935 discloses two methods and corresponding electrode designs for the generation of a plasma, for example, at or about one atmosphere. Using the disclosed methods, various webs, films and three-dimensional objects are beneficially treated in a reduced amount of time.
  • a first method utilizes a repetitive, asymmetric voltage pulse to generate a plasma discharge between two electrodes.
  • An asymmetric voltage pulse is used to generate a discharge in which a substrate can be exposed predominately to either positive or negative plasma species depending on the voltage polarity used.
  • a second method uses the gap capacitance of an electrode pair and an external inductor in shunt to form a resonant LC circuit.
  • the circuit is driven by a high power radio frequency source operating at 1 to 30 MHz to generate a uniform discharge between the electrode pair.
  • Both methods have temperature controlled discharge surfaces with supply gas temperature, humidity and flow rate control. The gas flow is typically sufficient to cause a turbulent flow field in the discharge region where materials are treated.
  • Electrode pairs implement these methods and include a metal faced electrode and a dielectric covered electrode, one or both of which have a series of holes extending through the electrode face for supply gas flow.
  • the second of the above-described methods will also operate with paired, metal faced electrodes, but under more restricted operating conditions.
  • U.S. Patent No. 6,132.813 discloses a method for modifying a substrate surface, including the step of applying a high density plasma to the substrate surface in the presence of a hydrofluorocarbon gas and a carrier gas to form an antiwetting layer on the substrate surface.
  • the method includes a cleaning step of contacting the slider surface with a carrier gas for a period of time effective to clean the surface.
  • U.S. Patent No. 6,105,589 is directed to an improved method and apparatus are provided for cleaning the specimen and interior specimen chamber of electron microscopes, and similar electron beam instruments.
  • the apparatus consists of a glow- discharge, oxygen-radical generator placed on a specimen chamber port with an excitation source to create a low-power glow-discharge plasma inside the generator. Air or other oxygen and nitrogen mixture is admitted to the generator at a pressure between 0.3 Torr and 5 Torr.
  • the low power glow discharge is used to disassociate oxygen preferentially over nitrogen to create the oxygen radicals.
  • the oxygen radicals then disperse by convection throughout the chamber to clean hydrocarbons from the surfaces of the chamber, stage and specimen by oxidation to CO and H2O gases.
  • the excitation power of the plasma is limited to limit the nitrogen ion production that destroys the oxygen radicals and to limit the projection of the electrically active plasma into the specimen chamber.
  • the optical emission or color of the plasma is observed for the selection of the correct power level for maximum oxygen radical production.
  • a probe (hereafter “probe” refers to either any embodiment of “probe or spray head or pin tool”) to be charged is placed within a plasma chamber or the body of the probe forms part of the chamber and thereby completes the chamber assembly when the probe is placed.
  • a vacuum is created in the chamber, and a gas mixture of oxygen and argon (the latter as a carrier gas) or other plasma gas mixture containing oxygen is introduced into the chamber.
  • electromagnetic energy is applied to the gas with the probe being either passively exposed to the gas within the chamber or with the probe being an electrode and thereby a source of the electromagnetic energy.
  • the electromagnetic energy within the chamber causing a breakdown of the 0 2 molecules into O ⁇ ions, free electrons, and free radicals (i.e., the plasma).
  • the probe When the probe is placed into the chamber, there is virtually no organic material for the free radicals to bond with, causing the free radicals to attack the probe, thereby imparting a charge to the probe.
  • This process is performed like a "tip wash” process, as is known in the art. A tip wash might proceed this process to reduce the amount of organic materials present on the probe. The process is fully-automated once the probe is within or completes the chamber.
  • the process is to create a plasma is initiated, takes one or two seconds to complete, and does not require human intervention to be performed as probe, chamber and support hardware and gas are part of or an accessory component of the automated instrumentation.
  • the probe or head would be the negative electrode and placed in a small vacuum chamber, which is evacuated and an appropriate gas or gas mixture discharged into.
  • the rF energy would be applied to the chamber with the probe or head acting as the negative electrode.
  • the gas piasma would then be intensified and generated on the probe itself thus creating the charged probe.
  • the vacuum chamber would be an integral part of the instrument itself as a stage or an accessory to an instrument that integrates into the normal operation of the instrument.
  • a method for electrically charging a probe by plasma technology for use in pipetting compounds in small volumes includes the steps of placing the probe to be charged in a plasma chamber; creating a vacuum within the plasma chamber and then introducing a stable gas into the plasma chamber; applying electromagnetic energy to the plasma chamber, thereby molecuiarly disassociating the gas, thus creating charged ions, free electrons, and free radicals; charging the probe by the free radicals attaching to the probe; venting or opening the plasma chamber back to atmospheric pressure; and removing the charged probe from the plasma chamber, whereby the charged probe can pipette compounds in small volumes.
  • This method is applicable to pipetting both liquid and solid compounds.
  • Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the method according to the present invention.
  • a probe preferably TEFLON-coated (but the method applies to metal probes with or without a TEFLON coating or other coating) is placed into a plasma chamber and the chamber is sealed.
  • a vacuum is crated in the sealed plasma chamber, and oxygen gas, along with an argon carrier gas (or other plasma gas mixture with oxygen gas as a component), is introduced into the chamber and dissipates throughout the chamber.
  • Sufficient electromagnetic energy is added to the chamber using electrodes or the probe assembly as an electrode to ionize the oxygen gas within the carrier gas mixture, creating mainly O + ions, free electrons, and free radicals.
  • the probe is virtually clean (i.e., virtually free of organic material) when it is placed in the plasma chamber, the free radicals have no other substance to attach to, and cling to the TEFLON-coated probe, thereby imparting a charge to the probe.
  • the vacuum chamber is the vented or opened, returning it to atmospheric pressure, and the now-charged probe is removed from the chamber.
  • This method is performed by a machine that does not require human contact with the probe, which could dissipate the charge and possibly "contaminate” the probe. Under these conditions, the method is performed in a manner similar to a "tip wash" as is commonly performed in many applications including those in biomedical research, clinical applications and numerous other standard laboratory techniques. This method can for many applications be used as a replacement for a conventional tip wash, as any small amounts of organic material remaining on the probe from the prior pipetting step will be vaporized by the plasma, and the probe will also be charged by the plasma. After the probe has been plasma-charged according to the method, it can be used to pipette liquid compounds. The compounds and solvents being pipetted with the probe can be quite variable in consistency and physical properties.
  • the major variables affecting the consistency of a liquid compound are surface charge characteristics (ranging widely from hydrophiiic to hydrophobic), viscosity (runnier than water to approaching honey), polarity (the electric charges of the molecules themselves, which can be different than the polarity of the compound, which with greater concentration become more significant), pH, ionic strength, and vapor pressure.
  • the surface characteristics of a probe can be modified and controlled to optimally attract or repel the different types of compounds used or altered for a desired result.
  • coated probes such as those coated with TEFLON are hydrophobic. but even the surface of the TEFLON can be made to carry an electric charge that makes the material act uniquely different than untreated TEFLON coated probes. In other words, the TEFLON surface can be "tuned" to the optimum requirements for the precise transfer of a certain type of compound.
  • the pipetting system can work in a more optimal manner with a broad range of compounds and solvents. Other surfaces can be similarly modified to optimally improve the precision and accuracy of the pipet assembly over a broader ranges of compounds and solvents.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Application Of Or Painting With Fluid Materials (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé destiné à charger électriquement une tête/broche de sonde/vaporisateur par technologie du plasma pour pouvoir pipetter des composés en petits volumes. Ce procédé consiste à placer la sonde à charger dans la chambre de plasma, à créer le vide à l'intérieur de la chambre de plasma, à introduire un gaz stable dans la chambre de plasma, à appliquer une énergie électromagnétique à la chambre de plasma à l'aide d'une électrode ou de la sonde utilisée comme électrode, ce qui permet de séparer moléculairement le gaz et de créer ainsi des ions chargés, des électrons libres et des radicaux libres, à charger la sonde à l'aide des radicaux libres se fixant sur la sonde, à ventiler la chambre de plasma afin de la ramener à la pression atmosphérique, et à retirer la sonde chargée de la chambre de plasma, la sonde chargée étant ainsi prête pour pipetter des composés en petits volumes. Le procédé s'applique au pipettage de composés liquides et solides.
PCT/US2001/001262 2000-01-14 2001-01-12 Procede destine a charger une sonde a l'aide de plasma WO2001051198A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001232802A AU2001232802A1 (en) 2000-01-14 2001-01-12 Method for plasma charging a probe
US10/094,403 US6724608B2 (en) 2000-01-14 2002-03-08 Method for plasma charging a probe
US10/813,593 US20060144692A1 (en) 2000-01-14 2004-03-30 Method for plasma charging a probe

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US17620100P 2000-01-14 2000-01-14
US60/176,201 2000-01-14

Related Child Applications (3)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US76573301A Continuation-In-Part 2000-01-14 2001-01-12
US10/094,403 Continuation-In-Part US6724608B2 (en) 2000-01-14 2002-03-08 Method for plasma charging a probe
US10/813,593 Continuation-In-Part US20060144692A1 (en) 2000-01-14 2004-03-30 Method for plasma charging a probe

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2001051198A1 true WO2001051198A1 (fr) 2001-07-19

Family

ID=22643403

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2001/001262 WO2001051198A1 (fr) 2000-01-14 2001-01-12 Procede destine a charger une sonde a l'aide de plasma

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2001232802A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2001051198A1 (fr)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4397702A (en) * 1980-01-09 1983-08-09 Johnson Controls, Inc. Fabrication of non-conductive charged sensing probe unit
US5451428A (en) * 1991-05-21 1995-09-19 Hewlett-Packard Company Method for pretreating the surface of a medical device

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4397702A (en) * 1980-01-09 1983-08-09 Johnson Controls, Inc. Fabrication of non-conductive charged sensing probe unit
US5451428A (en) * 1991-05-21 1995-09-19 Hewlett-Packard Company Method for pretreating the surface of a medical device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2001232802A1 (en) 2001-07-24

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