Diffraction-based diagnostic devices

1. A biosensor, comprising:

a metalized substrate member;

a pattern of areas of first thiolated biomolecules defined on said substrate member, said pattern formed by oxidizing a blocking layer previously applied to said substrate in a masking process wherein the blocking layer is exposed to an oxidizing enhancing stimulus through a mask having a pattern of exposed areas and protected areas, said exposure being of sufficient time to oxidize thiol-metal bonds in the exposed areas of said blocking layer under said mask; and subsequently exposing said substrate member to a source of said thiolated biomolecules for a time sufficient for a layer of said thiolated biomolecules to form at the oxidized areas of the blocking layer by displacing the oxidized thiol-containing molecules in the exposed areas with the first thiolated biomolecule, wherein said first thiolated biomolecules are non-specific for a particular analyte of interest; and

a pattern of areas of second thiolated biomolecules defined on said substrate member, said second thiolated biomolecules being specific for the analyte of interest, wherein said areas of second thiolated biomolecules are formed by a process wherein said substrate member is exposed a second time to the oxidizing stimulus without the mask for a sufficient time to oxidize the thiol-metal bonds in the remaining areas of said blocking layer, and subsequently exposing said substrate member to a source of said second thiolated biomolecules for a time sufficient for a layer of said second thiolated biomolecules to form at the second oxidized areas, said areas containing said second thiolated biomolecules defining active areas of receptive material, and said areas containing said first thiolated biomolecules defining shielded areas of said substrate, and wherein when said biosensor is exposed to a medium containing the analyte of interest, the analyte binds to the receptive material in said active areas and facilitates subsequent diffraction of transmitted light in a diffraction pattern corresponding to said active areas.

2. The biosensor as in claim 1 , wherein said first thiolated biomolecules are specific for a particular analyte of interest and define active areas of receptive material on said substrate member in a pattern corresponding to the oxidized areas defined by the masking process, and wherein when said biosensor is exposed to a medium containing the analyte of interest, the analyte binds to said receptive material in the active areas and facilitates subsequent diffraction of transmitted light in a diffraction pattern corresponding to the active areas.

3. The biosensor as in claim 2 , wherein said first thiolated biomolecules are selected from at least one of antigens, antibodies, nucleotides, chelators, enzymes, bacteria, yeasts, fungi, viruses, bacterial pili, bacterial flagellar materials, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, metals, hormones, and respective receptors for said materials.

4. The biosensor as in claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing enhancing stimulus is a UV light source.

5. The biosensor as in claim 1 , wherein said metalized substrate is gold-coated.

6. The biosensor as in claim 1 , wherein said substrate member is selected from the group of materials consisting of plastics, metal coated plastics and glass, functionalized plastics and glass, silicon wafers, and foils.

7. The biosensor as in claim 1 , wherein said substrate member comprises a polymer film coated with a metal.

8. The biosensor as in claim 7 , wherein said polymer film comprises polyethylene-terephthalate.

9. The biosensor as in claim 7 , wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chromium, nickel, platinum, aluminum, iron, copper, gold oxide, chromium oxide and zirconium.

10. The biosensor as in claim 1 , wherein said second thiolated biomolecules are selected from at least one of antigens, antibodies, nucleotides, chelators, enzymes, bacteria, yeasts, fungi, viruses, bacterial pili, bacterial flagellar materials, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, metals, hormones, and respective receptors for said materials.

11. The biosensor as in claim 1 , wherein said metalized substrate is gold-coated.

12. The biosensor as in claim 1 , wherein said substrate member is selected from the group of materials consisting of plastics, metal coated plastics and glass, functionalized plastics and glass, silicon wafers, and foils.

13. The biosensor as in claim 1 , wherein said substrate member comprises a polymer film coated with a metal.

14. The biosensor as in claim 13 , wherein said polymer film comprises polyethylene-terephthalate.