Broadband absorbing film for laser capture microdissection

Abstract

A thermoplastic film for LCM tissue transfer is thermally coupled to a broadband energy-absorbing material. The broadband energy-absorbing material may either be introduced into the film composition as a dopant or may be in thermal contact with the film.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A LCM tissue transfer film comprising a thermoplastic film thermally coupled to a broadband energy-absorbing material.  
     
     
         2 . The LCM transfer film of  claim 1  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material absorbs from about 10% to about 95% of incident light.  
     
     
         3 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 1  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material is introduced into the film composition as a dopant.  
     
     
         4 . The LCM transfer film of  claim 3  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material comprises Buckminsterfullerine.  
     
     
         4 . The LCM transfer film of  claim 3  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material absorbs from about 10% to about 95% of incident light.  
     
     
         5 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic film is an ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) film and said broadband energy-absorbing material is introduced into the film composition as a dopant.  
     
     
         6 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 5  wherein said dopant comprises Buckminsterfullerine.  
     
     
         7 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 5  wherein said thermoplastic film has a thickness of about 100 microns.  
     
     
         8 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 1  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material is a layer in thermal contact with the film.  
     
     
         9 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 8  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material is a metal film layer.  
     
     
         10 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 9  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material is a titanium film layer.  
     
     
         11 . The LCM transfer film of  claim 10  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material absorbs from about 10% to about 95% of incident light.  
     
     
         12 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 9  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material is a nichrome film layer.  
     
     
         13 . The LCM transfer film of  claim 12  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material absorbs from about 10% to about 95% of incident light.  
     
     
         14 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic film is an ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) film and said broadband energy-absorbing material is a layer in thermal contact with the film.  
     
     
         15 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 14  wherein said thermoplastic film has a thickness of about 100 microns.  
     
     
         16 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 14  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material is a metal film layer.  
     
     
         17 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 16  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material is a titanium film layer.  
     
     
         18 . The LCM transfer film of  claim 17  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material absorbs from about 10% to about 95% of incident light.  
     
     
         19 . The LCM tissue transfer film of  claim 16  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material is a nichrome film layer.  
     
     
         20 . The LCM transfer film of  claim 19  wherein said broadband energy-absorbing material absorbs from about 10% to about 95% of incident light.  
     
     
         21 . A film for LCM tissue transfer comprising: 
 a layer of a transparent support film;    a layer of a broadband absorbing film; and    a layer of a low temperature thermoplastic;    said film having, an overall thickness chosen to absorb a desired fraction of incident laser light.    
     
     
         22 . The film of  claim 21  wherein: 
 said layer of a transparent support film comprises a film chosen from the group including mylar and polyester;  
 said layer of a broadband absorbing film; comprises a metal film chosen from the group including nichrome and titanium, and  
 said layer of a low temperature thermoplastic comprises ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVA).  
 
     
     
         23 . The film of  claim 21  wherein said desired fraction of incident laser light is between about 10% to about 90%.  
     
     
         24 . A film for LCM tissue transfer comprising: 
 a layer of a transparent support film;    a first of a low temperature thermoplastic;    layer of a broadband absorbing film; and    a second layer of a low temperature thermoplastic;    said absorbing film having an overall thickness chosen to absorb a desired fraction of incident laser light.    
     
     
         25 . The film of  claim 24  wherein: 
 said layer of a transparent support film comprises a film chosen from the group including mylar and polyester;  
 said layer of a broadband absorbing film; comprises a metal film chosen from the group including nichrome and titanium, and  
 said first and second layers of a low temperature thermoplastic comprise ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVA).  
 
     
     
         26 . The film of  claim 24  wherein said desired fraction of incident laser light is between about 10% to about 90%.  
     
     
         27 . A carrier for LCM analysis comprising: 
 a substrate; and    a LCM film mounted on said substrate, said LCM film comprising a thermoplastic film thermally coupled to a broadband energy-absorbing material.    
     
     
         28 . The carrier of  claim 27  wherein said carrier is transparent at least in a region where said film is mounted thereon.  
     
     
         29 . The carrier of  claim 27  wherein said carrier comprises a plastic material.  
     
     
         30 . The carrier of  claim 27  wherein said substrate is adapted to mate with an analysis vessel.  
     
     
         31 . The carrier of  claim 27  wherein said substrate is adapted to mate with a holder in an LCM tissue sample transfer apparatus.  
     
     
         32 . A cap for sealing a laser capture microdissection sample vessel having an open end, said cap comprising: 
 a plastic member adapted to mate with the open end of said sample vessel so as to seal said vessel, said member having a top surface and a bottom surface and further having an aperture formed from said top surface to said bottom surface; and    a laser capture microdissection lift-off substrate mounted on said bottom surface across and sealing said aperture.    
     
     
         33 . The cap of  claim 32  having a thickness between said top surface and said bottom surface selected to be larger than the depth of field of a selected microscope objective, said cap further having a label on said top surface.  
     
     
         34 . A cap for sealing a laser capture microdissection sample vessel having an open end, said cap comprising: 
 a plastic member adapted to mate with the open end of said sample vessel so as to seal said vessel, said member having transparent optical quality windows on opposing top and bottom surfaces defining a solid volume thereof; and    a laser capture microdissection lift-off substrate affixed to said window on said bottom surface.    
     
     
         35 . The cap of  claim 12  having a thickness between said top surface and said bottom surface selected to be larger than the depth of field of a selected microscope objective, said cap further having a label on said top surface.  
     
     
         36 . A method for fabricating a film for LCM tissue transfer comprising the steps of: 
 providing a support layer;    forming a layer of a broadband absorbing film onto said support layer, said broadband absorbing film having a thickness chosen to absorb a desired fraction of incident laser light;    coating said layer of broadband absorbing film with a layer of thermoplastic.    
     
     
         37 . A method for fabricating a fihn for LCM tissue transfer comprising the steps of: 
 providing a polyester support layer;    forming a thin layer of metal film onto said polyester support layer, said metal film having a thickness chosen to absorb a desired fraction of incident laser light;    coating said metal film with a layer of EVA thermoplastic.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein said forming step comprises a sputtering step and said coating step comprises at least one spin coating step.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said coating step comprises a plurality of spin coating steps.  
     
     
         40 . A method for fabricating a film for LCM tissue transfer comprising the steps of: 
 providing a support layer;    forming a first layer of thermoplastic on said support layer;    forming a layer of a broadband absorbing film onto said first layer of thermoplastic, said broadband absorbing film having a thickness chosen to absorb a desired fraction of incident laser light;    coating said layer of broadband absorbing film with a second layer of thermoplastic.    
     
     
         41 . A method for fabricating a film for LCM tissue transfer comprising the steps of: 
 providing a polyester support layer;    forming a first layer of EVA thermoplastic on said support layer;    forming a thin layer of metal film onto said first layer of EVA thermoplastic, said metal film having a thickness chosen to absorb a desired fraction of incident laser light;    coating said metal film with a second layer of EVA thermoplastic.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein said forming step comprises a sputtering step and said coating step comprises at least one spin coating step.  
     
     
         43 . The method of claim  44  wherein said coating step comprises a plurality of spin coating steps.