Photonic crystal sensors with integrated fluid containment structure, sample handling devices incorporating same, and uses thereof for biomolecular interaction analysis
View Patent ↗Photonic crystal (PC) sensors, and sensor arrays and sensing systems incorporating PC sensors are described which have integrated fluid containment and/or fluid handling structures. The PC sensors are further integrated into a sample handling device such as a microwell plate. Sensors and sensing systems of the present disclosure are capable of high throughput sensing of analytes in fluid samples, bulk refractive index detection, and label-free detection of a range of molecules, including biomolecules and therapeutic candidates. The present disclosure also provides a commercially attractive fabrication platform for making photonic crystal sensors and systems wherein an integrated fluid containment structure and a photonic crystal structure are fabricated in a single molding or imprinting processing step amendable to high throughput processing.
1. A method of testing a sample with a photonic crystal biosensor in the form of a sample handling device having a plurality of sample wells and a common port; a network of microfluidic flow channels having a common inlet connecting the common port to the plurality of sample wells, wherein each of the microfluidic flow channels incorporate therein a photonic crystal sensor, comprising the steps of:
a) introducing a sample into the common port;
b) transferring the sample into the microfluidic flow channels and over the photonic crystal biosensors formed therein;
c) performing a kinetic binding measurement in which Peak Wavelength Value measurements of the photonic crystal biosensors are obtained as a function of time.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the microfluidic flow channels have substantially the same path length between the common port and the sample wells.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common inlet and the photonic crystal sensors formed in the microfluidic flow channels are spatially arranged in an aligned condition.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample handling device comprises a microplate having M×N sample wells arranged in M rows and N columns, each row having N wells.
5. A method of testing a sample with a photonic crystal biosensor in the form of a sample handling device having a plurality of sample wells and a common port; a network of microfluidic flow channels having a common inlet connecting the common port to the plurality of sample wells, wherein each of the microfluidic flow channels incorporate therein a photonic crystal sensor, comprising the steps of:
a) introducing samples into the plurality of sample wells,
b) transferring the samples from the sample wells along the microfluidic flow channels and over the photonic crystal biosensors formed therein; and
c) performing a kinetic binding measurement in which Peak Wavelength Value measurements of the photonic crystal biosensors are obtained as a function of time.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the microfluidic flow channels have substantially the same path length between the common port and the sample wells.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the common inlet and the photonic crystal sensors formed in the microfluidic flow channels are spatially arranged in an aligned condition.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample handling device comprises a microplate having M×N sample wells arranged in M rows and N columns, each row having N wells.