Nanostructured Multi-Well Carrier Plasmonic Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plate readers are expensive, have limited sensitivity, and can only analyze a restricted number of wells at a time, making them inefficient for comprehensive analysis of chemical or biological samples in multi-well plates.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a sample carrier with nanostructured wells and a reader device featuring light guiding units that direct excitation and reflected radiation, enabling highly sensitive, label-free analysis of multiple wells in parallel, utilizing plasmonic oscillations for enhanced detection capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional plate readers are used for sample analysis, then detection capability is provided, but sensitivity is relatively low and the number of wells that can be analyzed at a time is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the detection system into multiple independent light guiding units, each corresponding to a specific well position. This segmentation allows simultaneous analysis of multiple wells (e.g., 96 or 384 wells) while maintaining high detection sensitivity through individualized optical paths for each well, resolving the contradiction between analysis throughput and detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension by positioning light guiding units beneath the plate to illuminate wells from below through the transparent bottom. This dimensional change enables parallel analysis of all wells simultaneously while maintaining sensitive detection, overcoming the limitation of conventional top-illumination systems that can only analyze a restricted number of wells at a time.
2Measurement precision
If conventional plate readers with top illumination are used, then analysis of samples is performed, but the system is relatively expensive and has limited sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical top-illumination system with an optical system that directs light through the transparent bottom of the plate using light guiding units. This substitution simplifies the overall system architecture, reduces the need for complex mechanical components, and lowers cost while enhancing detection sensitivity through optimized optical paths that minimize interference.
3Productivity
If conventional illumination systems are used, then sample analysis is performed, but reaction time disparities exist across wells and repetitive reagent addition is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a nanostructured surface on the inner surface of each well bottom before sample addition. This preliminary structuring creates uniform optical and chemical conditions across all wells, ensuring that reactions proceed simultaneously and uniformly when samples are added. The pre-prepared nanostructured surfaces eliminate the need for repetitive reagent addition and prevent reaction time disparities, thereby increasing analysis throughput.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for real-time, highly sensitive quantification and characterization of biological interactions with minimal labeling, improving throughput and enabling analysis of large formats like 96 or 384-well plates, while reducing the need for repetitive reagent addition and minimizing reaction time disparities across wells.
Implementation Method 1
an optical detector for receiving light reflected from or emitted by the samples
Implementation Method 2
each light guiding unit is configured to direct a beam of excitation radiation to the bottom of the respective well, and to direct a beam of reflected radiation from the bottom of the respective well
Implementation Method 3
the obverse face having a nanostructured surface comprising a plurality of nanostructures; enabling highly sensitive, label-free analysis of multiple wells in parallel, utilizing plasmonic oscillations for enhanced detection capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
An analyzing system comprises a multi-well sample carrier in which each well has a transparent bottom with a nanostructured surface inside the well. The sample carrier can be installed in a reader device so that each well of the sample carrier is aligned with a respective light guiding unit of the reader device. In use, each light guiding unit directs a beam of excitation light to the bottom of the respective well, and directs a beam of reflected light from the bottom of the respective well. The nanostructured surface acts as a plasmonic sensor to facilitate analysis of the contents of the wells. The system allows highly sensitive quantification and characterisation of biological interactions in real time across multiple wells, and with improvements in yields, quality and production times.