A plasmon resonance system, instrument, cartridge, and methods for analysis of analytes is disclosed. A PR system is provided that may include a DMF-LSPR cartridge that may support both digital microfluidic (DMF) capability and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) capability for analysis of analytes. In some examples, the DMF portion of the DMF-LSPR cartridge may include an electrode arrangement for performing droplet operations, whereas the LSPR portion of the DMF-LSPR cartridge may include an LSPR sensor. In other examples, the LSPR portion of the DMF-LSPR cartridge may include an in-line reference channel, wherein the in-line reference channel may be a fluid channel including at least one functionalized LSPR sensor (or sample spot) and at least one non-functionalized LSPR sensor (or reference spot). Additionally, methods of using the PR system for analysis of analytes are provided.

The invention provides for methods and systems involving the measurement of values of one or several characterizing parameters representative of the kinetics of an assay chemical reaction, including providing a calibration tool (26) comprising a reaction chamber (28); for a given set of defining features, performing a series of calibration experiments under different sets of calibration values of at least one operating parameter, providing a digital calibration model representative of the kinetics of the assay chemical reaction in the calibration tool, where the assay digital calibration model comprises one or several characterizing parameters, the values of which have a dependency on the given set of defining features used for the calibration experiments; fitting, by computation, the values of the characterizing parameters for the given set of defining features, based on the series of calibration experiment results, wherein the reaction chamber (28) is a stirred-tank reactor.

A sensor element comprises a metallic nanostructure formed at edges of at least two microelectrodes on a non-electrically conductive substrate. The nanostructure is formed by depositing a solution comprising at least one metal salt and a stabilizing agent on the substrate at a detection site between the microelectrodes, and applying an AC electric field to the electrodes. The sensor elements may be used in sensing platforms such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and in electrical-based sensing such as electrochemical sensing.

Bistable devices are constructed using a polynucleotide platform for sensing molecular events such as binding or conformational changes of target molecules. Uses include measurement of target concentration, measuring the effect of environmental condition (such as heat, light, or pH) on the target, or screening a library for molecules that bind the target or modulate its biological function. Devices comprise three regions: a top lid, bottom lid, and flexible linker or hinge between them. A device has an open configuration in which the top and bottom lid are separated, and a closed configuration they are bound close together. Binding domains or variations of the target molecule are fixed to a device so that when the molecular event occurs, the device switches from open to closed, or vice versa, which generates a signal. Optimal device design is determined by the signal modality (optical or electronic) used to measure closure of surface-immobilized devices.

A method for measuring molecular interactions on a plurality of regions of interest (ROIs) of a sensor surface of a biosensor device. The method can include receiving respective biosensor response data for each ROI of the plurality of ROIs. The method further can include determining a sample group and a reference group for the plurality of ROIs. The sample group can include sample group ROIs of the plurality of ROIs, and the reference group can include reference group ROIs of the plurality of ROIs. The method also can include generating one or more sample data distributions based on one or more respective sample group binding parameters for each of the sample group ROIs derived from the respective biosensor response data for the each of the sample group ROIs. The method further can include generating one or more reference data distributions based on one or more respective reference group binding parameters for each of the reference group ROIs derived from the respective biosensor response data for the each of the reference group ROIs. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A self-heating biosensor based on lossy mode resonance (LMR) includes a waveguide unit and a lossy mode resonance layer. The waveguide unit is a flat plate, including two planes and at least two sets of opposite sides. One set of the opposite sides of the waveguide unit has a light input end and a light output end. The lossy mode resonance layer is disposed on one of the planes of the waveguide unit. Two heating electrodes are formed at two positions of the lossy mode resonance layer, and the two positions are relevant to one set of the opposite sides of the waveguide unit. A biomaterial sensing region having bioprobes are formed between the two heating electrodes. The present disclosure further includes a using method relevant to the self-heating biosensor based on lossy mode resonance.

A method of fabricating an array of plasmonic structures, a biosensor and a method of fabricating the biosensor. The biosensor includes: an array of plasmonic structures arranged on a base, and defining a detection surface distanced from the base; a separator arranged to separate at least a main portion of a cell from the detection surface; wherein the biosensor is arranged to detect, based on a change of an optical property of the array of plasmonic structures, in response to one or more protrusions extending from the main portion of the cell reaching the detection surface.

The invention relates to a detection system for an electronic nose capable of detecting and identifying a set of compounds that can be found in a gaseous sample, the detection system comprises a plurality of cross-reactivity detection sensors (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7) for supplying signals representing the presence of one or more compounds of said set in the gaseous sample, and which is particularly characterised in that the detection system further comprises at least one reference sensor (RI) for supplying a signal representing the measurement noise of the detection system. The detection system further relates to an electronic nose comprising such a detection system.

A sample holder for use in an optical microscope is disclosed. The sample holder includes a plasmonic layer defining a periodic array of sub-micron structures wherein the periodic array of sub-micron structures comprise an array of separated plasmonic regions. The regions may be a circle, a torus, an ellipse, a cross, rectangle, square, line, strip. Methods of performing reflection and fluorescence microscopy using such a sample holder and other sample holders are also disclosed.

A method of analysis of a sample is described. The method includes providing a sample holder having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having a plasmonic layer associated therewith, the plasmonic layer including a periodic array of sub-micron structures. A sample is applied to the sample holder and illuminated. At least one localised structural property of the sample is visible in an image formed based on the colour of the received light. The method includes using the image formed to control a subsequent analysis process. The subsequent analysis process can be another microscopy process such as TEM, SEM or the like.