The present disclosure provides an improved field effect transistor and device that can be used to sense and characterize a variety of materials. The field effect transistor and/or device including the transistor may be used for a variety of applications, including genome sequencing, protein sequencing, biomolecular sequencing, and detection of ions, molecules, chemicals, biomolecules, metal atoms, polymers, nanoparticles and the like.

Presented herein are compositions, systems, and methods related to optical substrates that simultaneous (1) enhance a fluorescence signal emitted by a fluorophore and (2) enhance “contrast” signal that comprises scattered signal intensity over substrate reflectivity at a non-fluorescent wavelength. In certain embodiments, the optical substrate comprises a thin, transparent, dielectric layer. In alternative embodiments, the optical substrate comprises a stack of thin, transparent dielectric layers, for example, that is designed for both specific scattering enhancement and fluorescence enhancement.

A biosensor with improved detection sensitivity of a target substance, a method for preparing a biosensor with improved detection sensitivity, and a method for detecting a target substance using the biosensor.

A biosensor with improved detection sensitivity of a target substance, a method for preparing a biosensor with improved detection sensitivity, and a method for detecting a target substance using the biosensor.

The disclosure relates to methods and devices for measuring samples, such as biological samples, especially those at low abundance, with high sensitivity and at low cost. A sample is disposed on a shrinkable scaffold and the shrinkable scaffold is shrunk, reducing the area where the sample is distributed, so as to effectively concentrate the sample on the surface of the scaffold. In the event that a biological sample is covalently attached to a scaffold having a silica structure, the increase in signal enhancement is also due to optical effects stemming from covalent linkage of the biological sample onto the silica structure of the scaffold. Silica (SiO.sub.2) may be deposited onto a surface of a polymer film by functionalizing the surface of the polymer film to bind silica from a sol-gel solution, and coating the film with a sol-gel solution containing silica precursors, wherein solid silica from the sol-gel solution is deposited onto the surface of the polymer film. Also disclosed is an immunoassay platform comprising a silica-encapsulated first detection agent deposited on a polymer substrate.

The disclosure relates to methods and devices for measuring samples, such as biological samples, especially those at low abundance, with high sensitivity and at low cost. A sample is disposed on a shrinkable scaffold and the shrinkable scaffold is shrunk, reducing the area where the sample is distributed, so as to effectively concentrate the sample on the surface of the scaffold. In the event that a biological sample is covalently attached to a scaffold having a silica structure, the increase in signal enhancement is also due to optical effects stemming from covalent linkage of the biological sample onto the silica structure of the scaffold. Silica (SiO.sub.2) may be deposited onto a surface of a polymer film by functionalizing the surface of the polymer film to bind silica from a sol-gel solution, and coating the film with a sol-gel solution containing silica precursors, wherein solid silica from the sol-gel solution is deposited onto the surface of the polymer film. Also disclosed is an immunoassay platform comprising a silica-encapsulated first detection agent deposited on a polymer substrate.

An expanded polytetrafluoroethylene substrate comprising a microporous microstructure, an interlayer over at least a portion of the microstructure, the interlayer containing a reactive functionality, and a functional layer attached to the interlayer, the interlayer comprising a sol-gel coating or a polyvinylalcohol. The functional layer of the substrate having functional sites with a density of at least 50 nanomoles/cm.sup.2.

An expanded polytetrafluoroethylene substrate comprising a microporous microstructure, an interlayer over at least a portion of the microstructure, the interlayer containing a reactive functionality, and a functional layer attached to the interlayer, the interlayer comprising a sol-gel coating or a polyvinylalcohol. The functional layer of the substrate having functional sites with a density of at least 50 nanomoles/cm.sup.2.

A method for evaluating a plate including a plurality of wells, the method including: an injection step of injecting an evaluation sample including a cell and a test substance into the plurality of wells, the evaluation sample being adjusted in advance so that a foreign matter is generated as a result of cell death caused by the test substance; a counting step of counting the number of wells having the foreign matter among the plurality of wells at a first counting timing at which a first predetermined time has elapsed since the evaluation sample is injected into the plurality of wells; and a determination step of determining that the plate is appropriate when the number of wells having the foreign matter among the plurality of wells is one or more, and determining that the plate is inappropriate when the number of wells having the foreign matter is zero.

A method for evaluating a plate including a plurality of wells, the method including: an injection step of injecting an evaluation sample including a cell and a test substance into the plurality of wells, the evaluation sample being adjusted in advance so that a foreign matter is generated as a result of cell death caused by the test substance; a counting step of counting the number of wells having the foreign matter among the plurality of wells at a first counting timing at which a first predetermined time has elapsed since the evaluation sample is injected into the plurality of wells; and a determination step of determining that the plate is appropriate when the number of wells having the foreign matter among the plurality of wells is one or more, and determining that the plate is inappropriate when the number of wells having the foreign matter is zero.