Optical amplification of molecular interactions using liquid crystals

US6284197A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Nicholas Abbott · Madison, US
• Justin J. Skaife · Nonatum Mills, US
• Vinay Gupta · Sunnyvale, US
• Timothy Dubrovsky · Flemington, US
• Rahul Shah · Woodbury, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 31, 1998
• Grant date: Sep 4, 2001
• Expiry date: Jul 31, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S436/805
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Interactions between molecules which are components of self-assembled monolayers and other molecules can be amplified and transduced into an optical signal through the use of a mesogenic layer. The invention provides a device and methods for detecting analytes. The device comprises a substrate onto which a self-assembled monolayer is attached and a mesogenic layer which is anchored by the self-assembled monolayer. The mesogenic layer undergoes a change in conformation in response to the molecular interaction.