Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a measuring chip for a surface plasmon resonance sensor that can detect a small amount of target substances in high sensitivity. The present invention provides a measuring chip for a surface plasmon resonance sensor comprising a metal layer, one or more plasma polymerization layers formed on said metal layer, and a biologically active substance immobilized on the surface of said plasma polymerization layer.

Abstract: This invention describes the advantages of forming integrated biochips including microarrays comprised of tiled assemblies. For a given biochip of this invention, the tiles may have similar or dissimilar properties. Novel, high-speed manufacturing processes are described to assemble such biochips. A preferred embodiment is the use of micro-machined feeders for placing the tiles in the assembly process.

Abstract: A multilayer circuit board having a high level of reliability in terms of electric connection against temperature changes caused by the actual operation of electronic equipment, a manufacturing process, a substrate for multilayer circuitry, and an electronic apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of producing immobilized arrays of proteins. Included are methods for producing high density arrays of nucleic acids, amplifying arrays, and replicating such arrays. The nucleic acid molecules present on the support, whether amplified or not, are then expressed to produce proteins which are immobilized to the nucleic acid upon production or can be can be immobilized directly to the support. Alternatively, proteins can be bound to the nucleic acid molecules to produce protein arrays of the present invention. Arrays produced by the disclosed methods may include both nucleic acids and proteins or the nucleic acids can be removed from the array leaving the proteins. The disclosed methods also include replication of protein arrays in which a subset of the proteins that are produced can be transferred to an additional support where they are then immobilized.

Abstract: Methods for forming the lower electrode of a capacitor in a semiconductor circuit, and the capacitors formed by such methods are provided. The lower electrode is fabricated by forming a texturizing underlayer and then depositing a conductive material thereover. In one embodiment of a method of forming the lower electrode, the texturizing layer is formed by depositing a polymeric material comprising a hydrocarbon block and a silicon-containing block, over the insulative layer of a container, and then subsequently converting the polymeric film to relief or porous nanostructures by exposure to UV radiation and ozone, resulting in a textured porous or relief silicon oxycarbide film. A conductive material is then deposited over the texturizing layer resulting in a lower electrode have an upper roughened surface.

Abstract: A quantum device is constituted from a two-dimensional array of quantum dots formed from metal atom aggregates contained in a metalloprotein complex. The metalloprotein is arranged on the surface of a substrate having an insulation layer with a pitch of the size of the metalloprotein complex. The diameter of the metal atom aggregates used in the quantum device is 7 nm or smaller, and the pitch of the metalloprotein complex is preferably from 11 to 14 nm.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a molecularly smooth surface, preferably on an electrode of an assay chip. This is desirable because it allows molecules, preferably oligonucloetides, to attach to the electrode surface with greater reliability and packing density than was previously available. Such attachment of molecules to an electrode surface is of particular interest in the field of electrochemical genetic analysis.

Abstract: A method is provided for making and using an assay chip having a hydrophilic region bounded by a hydrophobic region. This is desirable because it allows the user to deposit reagents in an aqueous medium on the hydrophilic region while the hydrophobic region prevents the reagents from flowing away from the hydrophilic region. Hence, the reagents can be isolated in the hydrophilic region to minimize any loss or dilution of the reagents. In a preferred embodiment, the chip surface features a plurality of hydrophilic regions bounded by hydrophobic regions allowing the user to conduct a plurality of assays on the same chip without cross-contamination of the samples. This device is of particular interest to the field of genetic analysis in which oligonucleotides are attached to a gold electrode for electrochemical analysis.

Abstract: A chemical or biological analysis multi-point micro-system including a structure equipped with micro-wells, each micro-well being intended to receive a reagent coupled with a conductive polymer. Each micro-well includes a reception electrode on which the reagent is fixed by the conductive polymer with which it is coupled. Each micro-well also includes a counter-electrode arranged so as to be able to apply, in a volume of the micro-well, an electric field between its counter-electrode and its reception electrode. The structure further enables the simultaneous connection of all the reception electrodes to a first electric potential and enables the simultaneous connection of all the counter-electrodes to a second electric potential to be able to set up the electric field.

Abstract: A device comprising an array of molecules immobilised on a solid surface is disclosed, wherein the array has a surface density which allows each molecule to be individually resolved, e.g. by optical microscopy. Therefore, the arrays of the present invention consist of single molecules are more spatially distinct than the arrays of the prior art.

Abstract: A process of fabricating a molecular electronic device that preserves the integrity of the active molecular layer of the electronic device during processing is described. In one aspect, a passivation layer is provided to protect a molecular layer from degradation during patterning of the top wire layer. A molecular electronic device structure and a memory system that are formed from this fabrication process are described.

Abstract: Conventionally, reaction measurement for a reaction using semiconductor nanoparticles has been conducted by measuring absorbance and fluorescence intensity in a solution, and thus only a relative evaluation has been available, and its operation is complicated. The present invention provides an industrial evaluation method that is simply performed by conducting the measurement after a semiconductor nanoparticle solution is dried. Further, the measurement in a dry condition allows semiconductor nanoparticles to be applied to biopolymer microarrays or the like.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a method by which to form molecule recognizing films on sensor electrodes efficiently, within a short period, uniformly and in a high quality state. Another object of this invention is to provide a method by which to accurately introduce a vast number of biological samples for evaluation to the plural minute sensor electrode dots within a short period and efficiently.

Abstract: A microchip device for chemotaxis observation according to the present invention is provided with the first well in which chemotactic factors are to be filled, and the second well in which chemotactic cells are to be filled. There is provided a channel between the first well and the second well. The channel has a plurality of paths. A sidewall surfaces of the path is substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface, as formed by anisotropic dry etching.

Abstract: A technique is provided that easily detects biopolymers such as a DNA or a protein by utilizing semiconductor nanoparticles having different excitation wavelengths and fluorescence due to differences in particle size. By binding the semiconductor nanoparticles with avidin (or biotin), detection of biopolymers labeled with biotin (or avidin) is enabled.

Abstract: A method for mask-free molecular or atomic patterning of surfaces of reactive solids is disclosed. Molecules adsorb at surfaces in patterns, governed by the structure of the surface, the chemical nature of the adsorbate, and the adsorbate coverage at the surface. The surface is patterned and then imprinted with the pattern by inducing localized chemical reaction between adsorbate molecules and the surface of the solid, resulting in an imprint being formed in the vicinity of the adsorbate molecules. When the imprinted molecular patterns are conjugated chains containing &pgr; bonds along which electrical charge can flow the molecular patterns constitute molecular wires or the imprinted molecules constitute a molecular-scale device. The surface of the substrate can be doped by including n- or p-type dopants in the adsorbate molecules. These molecular wires are anchored to the substrate by using conjugated chains which can be chemically bound at intervals along the chains to the substrates.

Abstract: A method of adding a thermally conductive, electrically nonconductive filler to a flexible substrate such as a polyimide core. The substrate may be used, for example, as a part of a polyimide core for a tape or an interposer in a BGA or similar integrated circuit package. The resulting substrate has a higher thermal conductivity as compared to conventional substrates without fillers, thereby increasing the thermal dissipation through the substrate and enabling the device to cool more efficiently. The filler also reduces the coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate to more closely match the die and reduce stresses. Furthermore, the filler increases the rigidity of the substrate, thereby enabling the device to be handled and carried more easily, for example, without a metal frame carrier.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a substrate having a plurality of microfeatures that provide a high surface area and are open to provide ready access to fluids and components therein. Methods of making the high surface area substrates are described and include generating microfeatures and/or microstructures on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a 4D biochip containing m 3D biochips having n capillaries, wherein the n capillaries each contain a biological factor, and methods for preparing and using the 4D biochip to provide rapid, efficient assays of large quantities of samples and/or factors.

Abstract: A nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device having a stack of layers including an active layer for a light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of growing a first layer on a substrate at a first temperature to obtain an incomplete crystalline structure including both indium and aluminum and having the composition expressed as InXAlYGa1-X-YN(0≦X≦1, 0≦Y≦1). The method grows a cap layer on the first layer to cover the first layer, with growth of the cap layer proceeding at a second temperature substantially equal to or below the first temperature. The first layer is heat treated at a third temperature above the first temperature to cause the incomplete crystalline structure to crystallize and to create areas of differing compositions, thus changing the first layer to an active layer. The material of the cap layer is selected to be heat stable during the heat-treating step.

Abstract: A method is proposed for fabricating a TFBGA (Thin & Fine Ball-Grid Array) package with embedded heat spreader. Conventionally, since an individual TFBGA package is quite small in size, it would be highly difficult to incorporate an embedded heat spreader therein. As a solution to this problem, the proposed method utilizes a single substrate predefined with a plurality of package sites, and further utilizes a heat-spreader frame including an integrally-formed matrix of heat spreaders each corresponding to one of the package sites on the substrate. A batch of semiconductor chips are then mounted on the respective package sites on the substrate. During the encapsulation process, a single continuous encapsulation body is formed to encapsulate the entire heat-spreader frame and all the semiconductor chips. After ball implantation, a singulation process is performed to cut apart the encapsulation body into individual package units, each serving as the intended TFBGA package.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising a semiconductor substrate in the shape of a slice, the method comprising the steps of: step 1) selectively applying a pattern of a solids-based dopant source to a first major surface of said semiconducting substrate; step 2) diffusing the dopant atoms from said solids-based dopant source into said substrate by a controlled heat treatment step in a gaseous environment surrounding said semi-conducting substrate, the dopant from said solids-based dopant source diffusing directly into said substrate to form a first diffusion region and, at the same time, diffusing said dopant from said solids-based dopant source indirectly via said gaseous environment into said substrate to form a second diffusion region in at least some areas of said substrate to form a second diffusion region in at least some areas of said substrate not covered by said pattern; and step 3) forming a metal contact pattern substantially in alignment with

Abstract: Methods for forming the lower electrode of a capacitor in a semiconductor circuit, and the capacitors formed by such methods are provided. The lower electrode is fabricated by forming a texturizing underlayer and then depositing a conductive material thereover. In one embodiment of a method of forming the lower electrode, the texturizing layer is formed by depositing a polymeric material comprising a hydrocarbon block and a silicon-containing block, over the insulative layer of a container, and then subsequently converting the polymeric film to relief or porous nanostructures by exposure to UV radiation and ozone, resulting in a textured porous or relief silicon oxycarbide film. A conductive material is then deposited over the texturizing layer resulting in a lower electrode have an upper roughened surface.

Abstract: Within a method for fabricating a split gate field effect transistor (FET) device there is employed a two step etch method for forming a floating gate electrode. Within the two step etch method there is employed a patterned first masking layer and a blanket second masking layer to assist in providing the floating gate electrode with a sharply pointed tip within at least either an upper edge of the floating gate electrode or sidewall of the floating gate electrode. The sharply pointed tip provides the split gate field effect transistor (FET) device with enhanced data erasure performance.

Abstract: A reaction site array to be used in conducting a plurality of reactions between two or more kinds of substances in a liquid medium with a trace amount is provided. The reaction site array comprises a plurality of reaction sites separated from each other. Each reaction site is composed of a first region and a second region. The second region is raised from the first region to separate the first regions from each other. The second region has an affinity to a liquid medium lower than that of the first region. A preparation process of the reaction site and a reaction process using the reaction site array is also provided.

Abstract: A method of bonding a microarray to a package uses optional surface treatments on the microarray and on the package to enhance the adhesion of the microarray to the package using an adhesive. The adhesive bonds to the microarray and the package with sufficient bond strength and flexibility to withstand the stress caused by different expansion rates during exposure to temperature extremes. A method of attaching the microarray to the package uses a plurality of adhesives to provide the bond strength and flexibility. A packaged microarray apparatus comprises a microarray of biological features, a package, and an adhesive bond between the microarray and the package. The apparatus may have surface treatment and/or the adhesive bond may comprise a plurality of adhesives.

Abstract: An implantable electrode and electrode system for contacting living biological material that includes an electrode assembly including at least a portion of the electrode, adapted to contact the living biological material at an electrode/tissue interface, exhibiting conduction that is substantially limited to electron or electron vacancy conduction.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions and methods for selective binding of amino acid oligomers to semiconductor and elemental carbon-containing materials. One form of the present invention is a method for controlling the particle size of the semiconductor or elemental carbon-containing material by interacting an amino acid oligomer that specifically binds the material with solutions that can result in the formation of the material. The same method can be used to control the aspect ratio of the nanocrystal particles of the semiconductor material. Another form of the present invention is a method to create nanowires from the semiconductor or elemental carbon-containing material. Yet another form of the present invention is a biologic scaffold comprising a substrate capable of binding one or more biologic materials, one or more biologic materials attached to the substrate, and one or more elemental carbon-containing molecules attached to one or more biologic materials.

Abstract: A fluid product distribution device (1) comprises a body (10) defining an entry passage (11), an actuating rod (13) displaceable in the body, an actuating element (15) coupled to the actuating rod, and a fixation element (17) for fixing the body (10) in an opening (20) of the recipient (2) containing fluid product. One of the components is provided with an identification unit (3) suitable for delivering information relating to the distribution device.

Abstract: Described and disclosed are devices, methods, and compositions of matter for the multiplex amplification and analysis of nucleic acid sequences in a sample using novel strand displacement amplification technologies in combination with bioelectronic microchip technology. Specifically, a nucleic acid in a sample is amplified to form amplicons, the amplicons are addressed to specified electronically addressable capture sites of the bioelectronic microchip, the addressed amplicons are captured and labeled, and then the capture sites are analyzed for the presence of label. Samples may be amplified using strand displacement amplification. The invention is also amenable to other amplification methodologies well known by those skilled in the art. The capture and label steps may be by a method of universal capture with sequence specific reporter, or by a method of sequence specific capture with universal reporter.

Abstract: This invention provides high unit density arrays of microparticles and methods of assembling such arrays. The microparticles in the arrays may be functionalized with chemical or biological entities specific to a given target analyte. The high unit density arrays of this invention are formed on chips which may be combined to form multichip arrays according to the methods described herein. The chips and/or multichip arrays of this invention are useful for chemical and biological assays.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods for producing nanocrystals of semiconductor material that have specific crystallographic features such as phase and alignment by using a self-assembling biological molecule that has been modified to possess an amino acid oligomer that is capable of specific binding to semi-conductor material. One form of the present invention is a method to construct ordered nanoparticles within the liquid crystal of the self-assembling biological molecule.

Abstract: A system for the rapid characterization of multi-analyte fluids, in one embodiment, includes a light source, a sensor array, and a detector. The sensor array is formed from a supporting member into which a plurality of cavities may be formed. A series of chemically sensitive particles are, in one embodiment positioned within the cavities. The particles may be configured to produce a signal when a receptor coupled to the particle interacts with the analyte. Using pattern recognition techniques, the analytes within a multi-analyte fluid may be characterized.

Abstract: Handling of small delicate components at a high speed is a difficult engineering challenge. The newly invented mechanism can reliably and accurately sort components into two more groups at a high speed without damaging the component.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a method by which to form molecule recognizing films on sensor electrodes efficiently, within a short period, uniformly and in a high quality state. Another object of this invention is to provide a method by which to accurately introduce a vast number of biological samples for evaluation to the plural minute sensor electrode dots within a short period and efficiently.

Abstract: A method for using intermediate transfer layers for transferring nanoscale patterns to substrates and forming nanostructures on substrates. An intermediate transfer layer is applied to a substrate surface, and one or more mask templates are then applied to the intermediate transfer layer. Holes are etched through the intermediate transfer layer, and material may be deposited into the etched holes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mass producing biochips quickly and easily, wherein a plurality of DNA molecules are amplified using a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method and transcribing the amplified DNA molecule to other substrates by contact.

Abstract: Construction and characterization of microfabricated recessed disk microelectrodes (RDMs) of 14 and 55 &mgr;m diameter are reported. The work reported here makes several new contributions to the current literature on microfabricated RDMs. Hybrid blamers were constructed by fusion of vesicles of dimyristoylphosphatidyl choline (DMPC), which forms the top layer, with ethanol-rinsed SAMs of hexadecanethiol on gold, which form the bottom layer. Gramicidin A was included in the modifying solutions to incorporate it into hybrid blamers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparation of a substrate containing a plurality of sequences. Photoremovable groups are attached to a surface of a substrate. Selected regions of the substrate are exposed to light so as to activate the selected areas. A monomer, also containing a photoremovable group, is provided to the substrate to bind at the selected areas. The process is repeated using a variety of monomers such as amino acids until sequences of a desired length are obtained. Detection methods and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an array of antibodies drawn to the gene products of a cell, where the antibodies are bound to a solid support. The antibodies of the antibody array are correlated on a one-to-one basis with the gene sequences to which the individual antibodies of the array are specific. Also, methods for use of the arrays to analyze gene expression profiling and the detection of disease are described.

Abstract: Generally, a method and apparatus for processing whole wafers comprising is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for processing whole wafers includes a cassette, a plurality of flowcells disposed on the cassette, a fluidics station having at least one pump, at least one fluid source in communication with the pump and a cradle for receiving the cassette when coupled to the fluidic station. The flowcells generally are adapted to retain at least one whole wafer and include an inlet port and an outlet port. The pump of the fluidic station is coupled to one or more inlet ports of the flowcells disposed in the cassette. The apparatus enables multiple whole wafers to be simultaneously processed while providing flexibility of accommodate different configurations of flowcells.

Abstract: A body 300 having a cavity 310 for mounting a substrate 120 fabricated with probe sequences at known locations according to the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854 and PCT WO 92/10092 or others, is provided. The cavity includes inlets 350 and 360 for introducing selected fluids into the cavity to contact the probes. Accordingly, a commercially feasible device for use in high throughput assay systems is provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for depositing a magnetic film using one or more long throw magnetrons, and in some embodiments, an ion assist source and/or ion beam source. The long throw magnetrons are used to deposit particles at low energy and low pressure, which can be useful when, for example, depositing interfacial layers or the like. An ion assist source can be added to increase the energy of the particles provided by the long throw magnetrons, and/or modify or clean the layers on the surface of the substrate. An ion beam source can also be added to deposit layers at a higher energies and lower pressures to, for example, provide layers with increased crystallinity. By using a long throw magnetron, an ion assist source and/or an ion beam source, magnetic films can be advantageously provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a silicon substrate having a monolayer formed by an electrochemically-induced reaction between silicon hydride moieties on the silicon surface and optionally substituted alkynes covalently bound to the surface of the silicon substrate and to a method for electrochemically producing such a functionalized silicon substrate. The method of forming a covalently bound monolayer on a silicon surface comprises the steps of contacting the silicon surface with a C2-C24 alkyne and electrografting optionally substituted alkynes to the silicon surface.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming smooth polycrystalline silicon electrodes for molecular electronic devices. The method comprises: (a) depositing a silicon layer in an amorphous form; (b) forming a native oxide on a surface of the amorphous silicon layer; and (c) converting the amorphous silicon to polycrystalline silicon by heat-treating at a temperature in a range of 600° to 1000° C. for a period of time in a range of 10 secs to 24 hrs, with higher temperatures associated with shorter times, in an inert atmosphere. The method converts the amorphous form of silicon to the higher conductivity polycrystalline form, while retaining the smoothness associated with the amorphous form.

Abstract: An implantable substrate sensor has electronic circuitry and electrodes formed on opposite sides of a substrate. A protective coating covers the substrate, effectively hermetically sealing the electronic circuitry under the coating. Exposed areas of the electrodes are selectively left uncovered by the protective coating, thereby allowing such electrodes to be exposed to body tissue and fluids when the sensor is implanted in living tissue. The substrate on which the electronic circuitry and electrodes are formed is the same substrate or “chip” on which an integrated circuit (IC) is formed, which integrated circuit contains the desired electronic circuitry. Such approach eliminates the need for an hermetically sealed lid or cover to cover hybrid electronic circuitry, and allows the sensor to be made much thinner than would otherwise be possible. In one embodiment, two such substrate sensors may be placed back-to-back, with the electrodes facing outward.

Abstract: A bio-chip substrate includes a base material selected from nylon or resin, and a layer of high purity nano microchip diamond membrane bonded to the surface of the base material for the embedding of DNA or protein. The invention relates also to the fabrication of the bio-chip substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for depositing a nucleic acid on a solid support. The method comprises contacting a solid support with a solution of nucleic acid, the solution comprising about 30% to about 80% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) by volume, sodium chloride and sodium citrate salt containing buffer (SSC) at a final concentration of from about 0.1× (15 mM sodium chloride+1.5 mM sodium citrate) to about 0.8× (120 mM sodium chloride+12 mM sodium citrate). The composition includes a nucleic acid at a concentration ranging from 0.01 mg/ml to 0.50 mg/ml. Preferably, the solution comprises about 40% to about 80% DMSO by volume and SSC at a final concentration from about 0.1× to about 0.5×. More preferably, the solution comprises about 40% to about 60% DMSO by volume and SSC at final concentration from about 0.25× to about 0.5×. Most preferably, the solution comprises about 50% DMSO by volume and SSC at a final concentration of about 0.25×.

Abstract: A liquid discharging device includes a plurality of liquid discharge sections. Each liquid discharge section includes a reservoir, a nozzle that discharges a solution supplied from the reservoir, and discharge energy generating means that generates energy to discharge the solution from the nozzle. The number of the liquid discharge sections corresponds to the number of probe types to be formed. The nozzles are two-dimensionally arranged. Using this liquid discharging device, probe liquids are discharged from the corresponding reservoirs onto a solid-phase substrate to form a predetermined two-dimensional probe array of high-purity probes on the substrate. This process exhibits high reproducibility and processability, and the resulting probe array has high array density.

Abstract: The present invention recognizes that the determination of ion transport function or property using direct detection methods, such as patch-clamps, whole cell recording or single channel recording, are preferable to methods that utilize indirect detection methods, such as FRET based detection system. The present invention provides biochips and methods of use that allow for the direct analysis of ion transport function or property using microfabricated structures that can allow for automated detection of ion transport function or property. These biochips and methods of use thereof are particularly appropriate for automating the detection of ion transport function or property, particularly for screening purposes.