Plasmonic Fluorescence Microarray Detection System

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议项目I的长期目标是为蛋白质和DMA芯片应用开发一种负担得起的、高度并行的和高度灵敏的检测系统。该系统是基于一种新的荧光检测技术，其灵敏度可能比当前最先进的荧光成像系统高10至1000倍。重要的是，所提出的技术将采用相对便宜的CCD成像仪器和低成本的一次性芯片来实现。提出的荧光检测灵敏度增强背后的原理是一种称为表面等离子体耦合荧光（SPCF）的现象。所提出的技术的基础取决于两个关键要素：具有周期性表面特征的金属涂覆的塑料传感器芯片，其能够使光辐射共振耦合到表面等离子体中，以及具有界面结构的表面化学，其能够定位检测荧光染料（例如，荧光抗体缀合物）在金属表面的10- 200 nm内。有了这种结构，并在适当的激发条件下，荧光发射被修改在两个惊人的方式。第一，激发场增强，第二，发射是高度定向的，这可以大大提高光收集效率。第一阶段的具体目标是：1）建立一个实验装置来测试所提出的概念，2）制造具有适当界面结构的芯片，以及3）表征系统的性能。 预计未来的产品（仪器和一次性芯片）将首先针对分析微芯片市场，这是当今生命科学中增长最快的技术领域。应用范围非常广泛，涵盖了制药开发、食品测试、临床诊断、法医学、环境分析、生物过程监测和生物防御等领域。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long term objective of the proposed project I is to develop an affordable, highly parallel and highly sensitive detection system for protein and DMA chip applications. This system is based on a novel fluorescence detection technology with the potential for 10- to 1000-fold higher sensitivity than current state of- the-art fluorescence imaging systems. Importantly, the proposed technology will be implemented with relatively inexpensive CCD imaging instrumentation and with low-cost disposable chips. The principle behind the proposed enhancement in fluorescence detection sensitivity is a phenomenon known as surface plasmon coupled fluorescence (SPCF). The basis for the proposed technology rests on two key elements: a metal-coated, plastic sensor chip with periodic surface features that enable resonant coupling of optical radiation into surface plasmons, and surface chemistry with an interfacial architecture that enables positioning of the detection fluorescent dyes (e.g., fluorescent antibody conjugates) within 10-200nm of the metal surface. With this architecture and under appropriate excitations conditions, fluorescence emission is modified in two striking ways. First, the excitation field is enhanced, and second emission is highly directional, which can vastly improved optical collection efficiency. The specific aims of the Phase I are to 1) set up an experimental apparatus to test the proposed concept, 2) to fabricate chips with the appropriate interfacial architecture, and 3) to characterize the performance of the system. Expected future products (instrument and disposable chips) will be initially targeted to the analytical microchip market, the fastest growing technology segment in the life sciences today. The range of applications is very broad, covering fields as diverse as pharmaceutical development, food testing, clinical diagnostics, forensics, environmental analysis, bioprocess monitoring and biodefense.