Composite flexible array substrate having flexible support

1. A flexible array substrate comprising, in order,

a flexible support, wherein the flexible support provides a surface for handling the flexible array substrate,

a flexible base,

a reflective layer, wherein the reflective layer comprises a stack of dielectric layer units, wherein each dielectric layer unit includes a first optically clear dielectric layer having a second optically clear dielectric layer disposed thereon, wherein the stack of dielectric layer units include at least two units, wherein each of the first optically clear dielectric layer and the second optically clear dielectric layer have a different index of refraction, wherein each of the first optically clear dielectric layer and the second optically clear dielectric layer being between about 40 nm and about 400 nm thick, and wherein each dielectric layer unit is monolithic, and

a monolithic transparent layer comprising a material selected from one of the following: silicon dioxide, titania, and alumina.

2. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the optically transparent layer has surface functional groups adapted for having probes attached to said functional groups.

3. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective layer comprises a layer of a metal disposed between the flexible base and the multiple dielectric layer selected from aluminum, silver, gold, platinum, and chrome.

4. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 wherein said flexible array substrate has surface functional groups adapted for binding probes thereto.

5. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible support provides a surface having an identifier.

6. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein said flexible support comprises a polymer material selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, polyetheretherketone, polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polyesters, polyolefins, polyethylene, polytetrafluoro-ethylene, polypropylene, poly (4-methylbutene), polystyrene, poly(ethylene terephthalate), nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, poly (vinyl chloride), polyamides, nylon, poly(vinyl butyrate), cross-linked dextran, and agarose.

7. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 wherein said flexible support comprises semi-crystalline polyetheretherketone.

8. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 wherein the transparent layer supports an addressable collection of probes having a surface density of at least about 100 features per square centimeter.

9. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein transparent layer comprises silicon dioxide.

10. The flexible array substrate according to claim 9 , wherein the transparent layer supports an addressable collection of probes having a surface density of at least about 100 features per square centimeter.

11. The flexible array substrate according to claim 10 , wherein the flexible support provides a surface having an identifier.

12. The flexible array substrate according to claim 11 , wherein said flexible support comprises semi-crystalline polyetheretherketone.

13. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein said flexible base comprises semi-crystalline polyetheretherketone.

14. A flexible array substrate comprising, in order,

a flexible support, wherein the flexible support provides a surface for handling the flexible array substrate,

a flexible base,

a reflective layer having a metal layer, a first optically clear dielectric layer disposed on the metal layer, and a second optically clear dielectric layer, wherein each of the first optically clear dielectric layer and the second optically clear dielectric layer have a different index of refraction, wherein each of the first optically clear dielectric layer and the second optically clear dielectric layer is a material selected from: silicon dioxide, titania, and alumina, and wherein the metal layer is a metal selected from aluminum, silver, gold, platinum, and chrome, and

a transparent layer.

15. The flexible array substrate according to claim 14 , wherein each of the first optically clear dielectric layer and the second optically clear dielectric layer being between about 40 nm and about 400 nm thick.

16. The flexible array substrate according to claim 15 , wherein the transparent layer supports an addressable collection of probes having a surface density of at least about 100 features per square centimeter.

17. The flexible array substrate according to claim 16 , wherein the transparent layer is monolithic and wherein the transparent layer comprises a material selected from one of the following: silicon dioxide, titania, and alumina.

18. The flexible array substrate according to claim 17 , wherein each of the flexible support and the flexible base comprise semi-crystalline polyetheretherketone.

19. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the first optically clear dielectric layer includes a material selected from silicon dioxide and titania, wherein the second optically clear dielectric layer includes a material selected from silicon dioxide and titania, and wherein the first optically clear dielectric layer and the second optically clear dielectric layer are made of different materials.

20. The flexible array substrate according to claim 19 , wherein the stack of dielectric layer units includes a number of units selected from: two units, three units, and four units, wherein a first dielectric layer unit has a second dielectric layer unit disposed thereon, and wherein the second optically clear dielectric layer of the first dielectric layer unit is made of a different material than the first optically clear dielectric layer of the second dielectric layer unit.

21. The flexible array substrate according to claim 19 , further comprising a third dielectric layer unit that has a fourth dielectric layer unit disposed thereon, wherein the third dielectric layer unit is disposed on the second dielectric layer unit, and wherein the second optically clear dielectric layer of the third dielectric layer unit is made of a different material than the first optically clear dielectric layer of the fourth dielectric layer unit.

22. The flexible array substrate according to claim 19 , wherein each dielectric layer being between about 60 nm and about 120 nm thick.

23. The flexible array substrate according to claim 19 , wherein the metal layer is about 0.1 nm to 50 nm thick.

24. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective layer is selected from silicon dioxide, alumina, and titania.

25. The flexible array substrate according to claim 1 , wherein each dielectric layer being between about 40 nm and about 200 nm thick.

26. The flexible array substrate according to claim 14 , further comprising a third optically clear dielectric layer disposed on the second optically clear dielectric layer, a fourth optically clear dielectric layer disposed on the third optically clear dielectric layer, wherein the second optically clear dielectric layer has a different refractive index than the third optically clear dielectric layer, wherein the third optically clear dielectric layer has a different refractive index than the fourth optically clear dielectric layer.

27. The flexible array substrate according to claim 26 , further comprising a fifth optically clear dielectric layer disposed on the fourth optically clear dielectric layer, a sixth optically clear dielectric layer disposed on the fifth optically clear dielectric layer, wherein the fourth optically clear dielectric layer has a different refractive index than the fifth optically clear dielectric layer, wherein the fifth optically clear dielectric layer has a different refractive index than the sixth optically clear dielectric layer.

28. The flexible array substrate according to claim 27 , further comprising a seventh optically clear dielectric layer disposed on the sixth optically clear dielectric layer, a eighth optically clear dielectric layer disposed on the seventh optically clear dielectric layer, wherein the sixth optically clear dielectric layer has a different refractive index than the seventh optically clear dielectric layer, wherein the sixth optically clear dielectric layer has a different refractive index than the seventh optically clear dielectric layer.