Sub-micron surface plasmon resonance sensor systems

1. A sensor chip for mounting between a light source and a detector for detecting the presence of a plurality of target analytes, ligands, or molecules in a test fluid, comprising:

a light transmissive substrate;

a housing formed of a light transmissive material and defining a fluid cavity in communication with at least one fluid inlet for receiving the test fluid and at least one fluid outlet; and

plurality of differently functionalized surface plasmon resonant (SPR) elements corresponding to the plurality of targets, said array mounted on a common substrate disposed within said fluid cavity to contact test fluid within said cavity;

wherein the SPR elements include a light transmissive bead formed in a geometric shape that can sustain periodic boundary conditions for a stationary plasmon resonance wave to travel across the outer surface thereof, and a pinhole is defined at the interface between said SPR element and the substrate.

2. The sensor chip of claim 1 , further comprising a micro-fluidic pump.

3. The sensor chip of claim 2 wherein the micro-fluidic pump is mounted within said housing for pumping fluid through said cavity.

4. The sensor chip of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said fluid inlets includes a micro-fluidic valve.

5. The sensor chip of claim 4 wherein the micro-fluidic valve is mounted within the housing for controlling fluid flow through said cavity.

6. The sensor chip of claim 1 , wherein said housing further defines at least one additional fluid inlet in communication with said cavity.

7. The sensor chip of claim 6 , wherein said additional fluid inlet includes a micro-fluidic valve.

8. The sensor chip of claim 1 , wherein:

like ones of said differently functionalized SPR elements are arranged in a plurality of columns; and

said housing defines a flow channel over each of said plurality of columns for flowing a chemical capable of functionalizing the SPR elements in the column to bind with one of the plurality of targets.

9. The sensor chip of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said fluid inlets includes a filter for controlling fluid quality in said cavity.

10. The sensor chip of claim 9 , wherein the filter is a micro-fluidic filter.

11. The sensor chip of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said fluid inlets includes a pre-concentration module.

12. The sensor chip of claim 11 wherein the pre-concentration module is a microfluidic pre-concentration module.

13. A sensor for detecting the presence of a plurality of target analytes, ligands or molecules in a test fluid, comprising:

a light transmissive substrate;

a plurality of surface plasmon resonant (SPR) elements on a surface of said substrate;

wherein the SPR elements include a light transmissive bead formed in a geometric shape that can sustain periodic boundary conditions for a stationary plasmon resonance wave to travel across the outer surface thereof, and a pinhole is defined at the interface between said SPR element and the substrate;

an exposed surface of each of said SPR elements having a surface coating of a material capable of binding with a corresponding one of the targets to be detected;

a light source arranged to direct light into said SPR element; and

a detector arranged relative to said SPR element to detect light transmitted therethrough.

14. The sensor of claim 13 , wherein said detector includes an array of pixels, each pixel operable to generate an output in response to the detection of light at said pixel.

15. The sensor of claim 13 , wherein two or more groups of said plurality of SPR elements define two or more spots, with each SPR element within a group being commonly functionalized with a common surface coating capable of binding with a common one of the targets.

16. The sensor of claim 15 , wherein:

said detector includes an array of pixels, each pixel operable to generate an output in response to the detection of light at said pixel; and

said detector is arranged relative to said substrate so that at least one pixel is aligned with each of said two or more spots.

17. A method for providing a functionalized micro-sensor for detecting the presence of two or more different target analytes, ligands or molecules in a test fluid, comprising:

randomly dispersing a plurality of surface plasmon resonant (SPR) elements on a common light transmissive substrate, where the SPR elements include a light transmissive bead formed in a geometric shape that can sustain periodic boundary conditions for a stationary plasmon resonance wave to travel across the outer surface thereof, and a pinhole is defined at the interface between said SPR element and the substrate;

defining two or more spots on the substrate corresponding to each of said two or more targets and functionalizing each SPR element within each of the two or more spots to detect a corresponding target;

providing a detector having an array of pixels aligned with the plurality of SPR elements on the substrate; and

selecting one or more pixels aligned with each of the two or more spots, the output of which is indicative of the detection of the corresponding target.

18. A sensor chip stack for detecting the presence of a plurality of target analytes, ligands or molecules in a test fluid, comprising:

a light transmissive substrate;

a housing formed of a light transmissive material and defining a fluid cavity in communication with at least one fluid inlet for receiving the test fluid and at least one fluid outlet;

a plurality of surface plasmon resonant (SPR) elements randomly dispersed on a surface of said substrate;

wherein the SPR elements include a light transmissive bead formed in a geometric shape that can sustain periodic boundary conditions for a stationary plasmon resonance wave to travel across the outer surface thereof, and a pinhole is defined at the interface between said SPR element and the substrate;

an exposed surface of each of said SPR elements having a surface coating of a material capable of binding with a corresponding one of the targets to be detected;

a light source arranged to direct light into said SPR element; and

a detector arranged relative to said SPR element to detect light transmitted therethrough.

19. The sensor chip stack of claim 18 , further comprising a micro-fluidic pump.

20. The sensor chip stack of claim 19 wherein the micro-fluidic pump is mounted within said housing for pumping fluid through said cavity.

21. The sensor chip stack of claim 18 , wherein said fluid inlet includes a micro-fluidic valve.

22. The sensor chip stack of claim 21 wherein the micro-fluidic valve is mounted within the housing for controlling fluid flow through said cavity.

23. The sensor chip stack of claim 18 , wherein said housing further defines at least one additional fluid inlet in communication with said cavity.

24. The sensor chip stack of claim 23 , wherein said additional fluid inlet includes a micro-fluidic valve.

25. The sensor chip stack of claim 18 , wherein at least one of said fluid inlets includes a filter for controlling fluid quality in said cavity.

26. The sensor chip stack of claim 18 , wherein at least one of said fluid inlets includes a pre-concentration module.

27. The sensor chip stack of claim 18 , wherein said detector includes an array of pixels, each pixel operable to generate an output in response to the detection of light at said pixel.

28. The sensor chip stack of claim 18 , wherein two or more groups of said plurality of SPR elements define two or more spots, with each SPR element within a group being commonly functionalized with a common surface coating capable of binding with a common one of the targets.

29. The sensor chip stack of claim 28 , wherein:

said detector includes an array of pixels, each pixel operable to generate an output in response to the detection of light at said pixel; and

said detector is arranged relative to said substrate so that at least one pixel is aligned with each of said two or more spots.