Surface plasmon resonance spectrometer with an actuator driven angle scanning mechanism
Inventors
Assignees
Suzhou Puxin Life Science & Technology Ltd • Plexera Bioscience LLC
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Publication Number
US-7889347-B2
Publication Date
2011-02-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
Instruments and methods relating to surface plasmon imaging are described. An instrument comprises a semi-circular rail and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is attached to a light source mount and a detector mount, and both the light source mount and the detector mount are attached to the semi-circular rail with connectors. Each connector allows the light source mount and detector mount to slide along the rail. The synchronous movement of the light source mount and the detector mount changes the angle of incidence of a light beam from the light source with respect to the plane of the sample surface on the sample stage.
Core Innovation
The instrument includes a semicircular rail carrying a sample stage forming a plane, with a light source mount on the rail and a detector mount on the rail. A driving mechanism comprising a driving bridge with a first pivot point and a second pivot point, a first swing arm connected to the light source mount through the first pivot point, and a second swing arm connected to the detector mount through the second pivot point is driven by a controller to move the light source mount and the detector mount synchronously along the rail in opposite directions through a range of angles.
Surface plasmon resonance responses are measured by receiving detector signals at a plurality of angles, and an angle corresponding to a desired surface plasmon resonance response characteristic is selected for subsequent operation. The driving geometry uses one linear actuator controlling the driving bridge in a path perpendicular to a plane where the sample resides, thereby enabling the angle of incidence on the sample stage to be varied by sliding along the semicircular rail.
In the sensing and assay approach, the light beam is directed to form an angle of incidence between the light beam and a microarray, with synchronously modified incidence angle achieved by sliding the light source and detector in opposite directions along the semicircular rail. Detector intensity is plotted against the magnitude of linear actuator displacement to give a curve comprising a linear slope, a specific point on the linear slope is chosen, and the corresponding displacement sets a fixed angle of incidence.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims covering synchronous opposite-direction motion along a semicircular rail, a driving bridge and swing-arm mechanism, and assay methods that set a fixed incidence angle from a linear-slope relation between detector intensity and actuator displacement.
Synchronous opposite-direction angle scanning with semicircular rail
An instrument having a semicircular rail, with a controller configured to drive a light source mount and a detector mount to move synchronously along the rail in opposite directions through a range of angles, receive a signal from the detector at a plurality of angles corresponding to surface plasmon resonance responses, select an angle corresponding to a desired surface plasmon resonance response characteristic, and drive the light source mount and the detector mount to the selected angle.
Driving bridge and swing-arm mechanism spanning light and detector mounts
A driving mechanism including a driving bridge having a first pivot point and a second pivot point, a first swing arm with a first end connected to the driving bridge through the first pivot point and a second end connected to a pivot point on the light source mount, and a second swing arm with a first end connected to the driving bridge through the second pivot point and a second end connected to a pivot point on the detector mount.
Sliding along a semicircular rail to modify angle of incidence for microarray assay
A method providing a light source, a detector, and a sample comprising a microarray for an assay, directing the light beam at the microarray to form an angle of incidence, and moving the light source and the detector synchronously by sliding the light source and detector in opposite directions along a semicircular rail, thereby modifying the angle of incidence, with at least one linear actuator controlling the sliding.
Linear-slope curve selection to set a fixed angle of incidence
Plotting the intensity of light at the detector against the magnitude of the displacement of the linear actuator to give a curve comprising a linear slope, choosing a specific point on the linear slope, moving the linear actuator to the displacement corresponding to the specific point to give a fixed angle of incidence, and performing an assay using the microarray at the fixed angle of incidence.
Laser/CCD/gold microarray SPR assay with actuator-defined fixed incidence angle
A method comprising providing a light source comprising a laser, a detector comprising a CCD camera having pixels, and a microarray comprising a gold substrate to generate surface plasmon resonance at the gold surface, directing the light beam at the microarray to form an angle of incidence, moving the light source and the detector synchronously by sliding in opposite directions along a semicircular rail controlled by at least one linear actuator, plotting detector intensity versus the magnitude of actuator displacement to give a curve comprising a linear slope, choosing a specific point on the linear slope, setting a fixed angle of incidence by moving to the displacement corresponding to the specific point, and performing an assay using the microarray at the fixed angle of incidence.
The inventive features center on synchronous opposite-direction movement of a light source mount and detector mount along a semicircular rail to scan incidence angles for surface plasmon resonance responses, together with selection of a fixed incidence angle by plotting detector intensity against actuator displacement and choosing a point on a linear slope for assay execution.
Stated Advantages
Reduced instrument footprint and complexity versus dual rotation tables.
Documented Applications
Performing an assay using a microarray at a fixed angle of incidence determined from a linear slope relationship between detector intensity and linear actuator displacement.
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