A method of synthesis of a nucleotide chain, the nucleotide chain including an ordered plurality of nucleotides, the method including: identifying a first nucleotide of the ordered plurality of nucleotides; controlling a polymerase enzyme to assemble the first nucleotide onto the nucleotide chain by electrically modulating an electrode; identifying a subsequent nucleotide in the ordered plurality of nucleotides as a current nucleotide; and controlling the polymerase enzyme to assemble the current nucleotide onto an end of the nucleotide chain by electrically modulating the electrode.

Provided in some aspects are methods of patterning a surface in situ for producing an array on the surface, for example, by partitioning of beads comprising oligonucleotides into spatially predefined regions, to generate unique DNA sequences in spatial positions in the array. Compositions such as nucleic acid arrays produced by the methods are also disclosed.

The invention features methods of making devices, or platens, having a high-density array of through-holes, as well as methods of cleaning and refurbishing the surfaces of the platens. The invention further features methods of making high-density arrays of chemical, biochemical, and biological compounds, having many advantages over conventional, lower-density arrays. The invention includes methods by which many physical, chemical or biological transformations can be implemented in serial or in parallel within each addressable through-hole of the devices. Additionally, the invention includes methods of analyzing the contents of the array, including assaying of physical properties of the samples.

The invention features methods of making devices, or platens, having a high-density array of through-holes, as well as methods of cleaning and refurbishing the surfaces of the platens. The invention further features methods of making high-density arrays of chemical, biochemical, and biological compounds, having many advantages over conventional, lower-density arrays. The invention includes methods by which many physical, chemical or biological transformations can be implemented in serial or in parallel within each addressable through-hole of the devices. Additionally, the invention includes methods of analyzing the contents of the array, including assaying of physical properties of the samples.

A method of synthesis of a nucleotide chain, the nucleotide chain including an ordered plurality of nucleotides, the method including: identifying a first nucleotide of the ordered plurality of nucleotides; controlling a polymerase enzyme to assemble the first nucleotide onto the nucleotide chain by electrically modulating an electrode; identifying a subsequent nucleotide in the ordered plurality of nucleotides as a current nucleotide; and controlling the polymerase enzyme to assemble the current nucleotide onto an end of the nucleotide chain by electrically modulating the electrode.