The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 23, 1994
Filed:
May. 28, 1992
Jens-Peter Seher, Stuttgart, DE;
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting the presence and/or concentration of biomolecules, in particular DNA, by providing a boundary surface between an optically denser medium and an optically rarer medium. Biomolecules adsorb to the boundary surface and alter the characteristics of impinging light. The method and apparatus use surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to excite the biomolecules. The angle of incidence of the impinging light is maintained at the angle at which SPR occurs, thereby controlling the energy transferred to the biomolecules. The energy transferred to the biomolecules causes the biomolecules to generate excitation light which is reflected and monitored at the boundary surface. The angle of incidence is controlled by rotating a desk such that the intensity of the reflected light is always maintained at a minimum which ensures that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle at which SPR occurs.