Spr apparatus with a high performance fluid delivery system

Abstract

An apparatus may include a flow cell for a surface plasmon resonance test apparatus and a fluid delivery system operatively coupled to the flow cell and configured to deliver a plurality of fluids to the flow cell substantially continuously. The fluid delivery system may include two pumps for pumping the fluids.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system, comprising:
 a SPR optical subsystem;   a flow cell;   a SPR coupling surface adjacent to the flow cell;   a fluid delivery system comprising one or more pumps in communication with the flow cell; and   one or both a valve and a needle configured to provide air into the fluid delivery system.   
     
     
         2 . The SPR system of  claim 1 , where the fluid delivery system is configured to receive a control signal and to responsively switch between at least a first position and a second position, where the first position accepts fluid containing an air bubble and transfers the fluid to the flow cell, where the second position accepts fluid containing an air bubble and transfers the fluid and air bubble to waste. 
     
     
         3 . The SPR system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more holding coils. 
     
     
         4 . The SPR system of  claim 1 , where a microarray is contained within the flow cell. 
     
     
         5 . The SPR system of  claim 1 , where the fluid delivery system is configured to introduce an air bubble between a first fluid and a second fluid to minimize cross contamination. 
     
     
         6 . The SPR system of  claim 5 , in which at least one valve, at least one pump, and at least one holding coil are configured to transfer the air bubble through the fluid delivery system. 
     
     
         7 . The SPR system of  claim 5 , further comprising a valve configured to switch position to send the fluid and air bubble to waste, where the valve is configured to switch the position of the valve concomitant with receiving a signal. 
     
     
         8 . The SPR system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more optical sensors configured to detect a position of an air-fluid interface associated with an air bubble. 
     
     
         9 . The SPR system of  claim 8 , further comprising one or more optical sensors configured to detect a detection position of the air bubble and calculate a time for the air bubble to transit the fluid delivery system from the detection position to time of entry into one or both one or more valves and the flow cell. 
     
     
         10 . The SPR system of  claim 8 , further comprising a controller system configured to calculate the position of a front associated with the air-fluid interface using one or more of pump status data, valve status data, pump command data and valve command data. 
     
     
         11 . A method for operating a surface plasmon resonance apparatus comprising:
 transmitting a first sequence of valve and pump control signals to a fluid delivery system coupled to a flow cell and a microarray; and   pumping a first solution through one or more valves into the flow cell, where the pump is configured to pump fluid through one or more holding coils before flowing into the flow cell, where the fluid delivery system is configured to introduce an air bubble between a first fluid and a second fluid.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing air to the fluid delivery system through one or more valve ports configured to introduce the air bubble. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing air to the fluid delivery system through one or more needles configured to introduce the air bubble. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising moving the air bubble through the fluid delivery system, where one or more of at least one valve, at least one pump, and at least one holding coil are configured to transfer the air bubble. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising removing the air bubble from the fluid delivery system, where the fluid delivery system is configured to remove the air bubble before the air bubble enters the flow cell. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising transferring the air bubble through the fluid delivery system, where a valve is adapted to receive and transfer the first fluid and the second fluid separated by the air bubble. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising detecting a position of an air-fluid interface associated with the air bubble using one or more optical sensors. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising detecting a detection position of the air bubble and calculating a time for the air-fluid interface to transit the fluid delivery system from the detection position to time of entry into one or both one or more valves and the flow cell. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising calculating a position of a front associated with the air-fluid interface using one or more of pump status data, valve status data, pump command data and valve command data with a controller system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising switching a position of a valve to send the fluid and air bubble to waste before the air-fluid interface is delivered to the flow cell, where the one or more valves are configured to switch the position of the valve concomitant with receiving a signal.