Method and apparatus for enhanced nano-spectroscopic scanning

Abstract

Apparatus and method for determining the identity of a sequence of chemical groups in a linear polymer sample, such as the sequence of bases in a nucleic acid are disclosed. The apparatus has a substrate having a mirror surface which is formed of a plasmon resonant metal, a source of a beam of light, and a lens assembly composed of one or more plasmon resonance particles disposed about an opening defining a detection region. The particles arranged to produce, when the light beam is directed onto a sample at the detection region, near-field electromagnetic gap modes in a space between the nanolens and a confronting detection region on the substrate surface, in a gapbetween the nanolens and substrate having a selected spacing of 40 nm or less. Also included in the apparatus are a detector for receiving light emitted by or scattered from the sample at the detection region, and for converting the received light into a gap-mode enhanced Raman spectrum, and a translation mechanism for moving the sample relative to lens assembly, through the opening in the lens assembly, to position successive chemical groups in the sample at the detection region. Apparatus and method for determining the identity of a sequence of chemical groups in a linear polymer are disclosed. The apparatus has a substrate having a mirror surface which is formed of a plasmon resonant metal, a source of a beam of light, and a lens assembly composed of one or more plasmon resonance particles disposed about an opening defining a detection region. The particles arranged to produce, when the light beam is directed onto a sample at the detection region, near-field electromagnetic gap modes in a space between the nanolens and a confronting detection region on the substrate surface. Also, included are a detector for receiving light emitted by or scattered from the sample at the detection region, and for converting the received light into a gap-mode enhanced Raman spectrum.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to the field of nano-spectroscopic scanning, in particular, to methods and devices for determining the identity of chemical group sequences in linear polymer samples, such as base sequences in nucleic acids. [0002] references [0003] The following references are cited as background to the invention and / or as providing approaches that might apply to particular aspects of the invention. These references are hereby incorporated by reference. [0004] G.R. Brewer, Electron-Beam Technology in Microelectronic Fabrication, Academic Press, NY, 1980). [0005] David Ginger et al., "The evolution of Dip-Pen Nanolithography", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., v.43, p.30-45, 2004). [0006] S. Hayashi, "Spectroscopy of Gap Modes in Meta Particle-Surface Systems", Tpoics Appl Phys 81: 71-95 (2001). [0007] I-K. Kneipp et al. "Ultrasensitive Chemical Analyzes by Raman Spectroscopy", Chem. Rev., 1999, vol.99, p.2957-2975, see p.271). [0008...

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Problems solved by technology

The patent does not disclose or suggest methods for using electromagnetic gap modes to enhance spectral resolution that might be used to resolve single chemical structures such as DNA bases, nor does the patent suggest the ability to interpret multiple samples a system of parallel strands of DNA

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