Method for the topographically-selective passivation of micro- and nanoscale devices

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of preparing a biosensor that involves providing a substrate including a surface having a topographical pattern formed at one or more sites on or in the surface, coating the substrate with a solution including hydrogel particles, wherein the hydrogel particles self-assemble on the surface to mask the surface except at the one or more sites, and binding one or more capture molecules to the one or more sites to form the biosensor. Systems that include the biosensor, as well as methods of using the biosensor, are also disclosed.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A biosensor prepared according to a process comprising the steps of
 providing a substrate comprising a surface having a topographical pattern formed at one or more sites on or in the surface;   coating the substrate with a solution comprising hydrogel particles, wherein the hydrogel particles self-assemble on the surface to mask the surface except at the one or more sites; and   binding one or more capture molecules to the one or more sites to form the biosensor.   
     
     
         14 . A biosensor comprising:
 a substrate comprising a surface having a topographical pattern formed at one or more sites on or in the surface; and   one or more capture molecules bound to the one or more sites to form the biosensor, the one or more capture molecules binding specifically to a target molecule under suitable conditions, wherein at least 80 percent of one or more types of capture molecules bound to the surface of the substrate are bound at the one or more sites.   
     
     
         15 . The biosensor according to  claim 14 , wherein at least 90 percent of one or more types of capture molecules bound to the surface of the substrate are bound at the one or more sites. 
     
     
         16 . The biosensor according to  claim 14 , wherein the biosensor exhibits at least an order of magnitude improvement in the limit of detection of the target molecule compared to a biosensor having the one or more capture molecules indiscriminately bound across the entire surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The biosensor according to  claim 14 , wherein the substrate comprises a 2D photonic crystal array, a ring resonator, a toroidal microcavity, waveguide, a photonic bandgap fiber, a Bragg reflector, a diffraction grating, a plasmonic waveguide, or a nanoplasmonic pore. 
     
     
         18 . The biosensor according to  claim 14 , wherein the substrate comprises an inlet for coupling light into, onto, or across the topographical pattern and an outlet for coupling light that passes from, through, or past the topographical pattern. 
     
     
         19 . A method of detecting the presence of a target molecule in a sample comprising:
 providing a biosensor according to  claim 14 ;   exposing a sample to the one or more sites on the biosensor surface; and   detecting a change in an optical property of the biosensor surface at the one or more sites following said exposing.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a biosensor according to  claim 14 ;   a light source coupled to the biosensor to pass light into or across the topographical pattern;   a detector coupled to the biosensor to detect light passing from or across the topographical pattern.   
     
     
         21 . A method of quantifying the amount of a biological target present in a sample comprising:
 providing a biosensor according to  claim 14 ;   exposing a sample to the one or more sites on the biosensor surface; and   detecting a change in an optical property of the biosensor surface at the one or more sites following said exposing, wherein the amount of biological target is quantifiable based on the extent of the change of the optical property.   
     
     
         22 . A method of detecting the presence of a target molecule in a sample comprising:
 providing a biosensor according to  claim 13 ;   exposing a sample to the one or more sites on the biosensor surface; and   detecting a change in an optical property of the biosensor surface at the one or more sites following said exposing.   
     
     
         23 . A system comprising:
 a biosensor according to  claim 13 ;   a light source coupled to the biosensor to pass light into or across the topographical pattern;   a detector coupled to the biosensor to detect light passing from or across the topographical pattern.   
     
     
         24 . A method of quantifying the amount of a biological target present in a sample comprising:
 providing a biosensor according to  claim 13 ;   exposing a sample to the one or more sites on the biosensor surface; and   detecting a change in an optical property of the biosensor surface at the one or more sites following said exposing, wherein the amount of biological target is quantifiable based on the extent of the change of the optical property.