US6151123A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Systems and methods for employing optical probes to characterize material properties
Assignee: Freeslate Inc
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Filing: 1998-07-08
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Granted: 2000-11-21
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Expires: 2018-07-08
Abstract
Abstract Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In particular, the present invention provides techniques for interrogating organic materials, inorganic materials, or polymers on predefined regions of a substrate, using optical probe molecules to measure properties of these materials. This invention involves the use of environment-sensitive probes, such as dye probes, to enable parallel, rapid and efficient characterization of important material properties, including glass-transition temperatures, polarity, hydrogen bonding and other intermolecular interactions. These methods can be applied to crystalline or amorphous materials, polymeric or small-molecule materials, pure materials or mixtures, and to materials in bulk, particles, thin films, dispersions, emulsions, and solutions.
Inventors
- 👤 Ralph B. Nielsen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:51
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/62; G01N21/63; G01N21/64; G01N21/6428; G01N21/645; G01N21/6452; C; C40; C40B; C40B40/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A method for screening an array of polymerized materials at predefined locations on a substrate comprising: preparing on a substrate a spatially defined array of different polymerized materials containing at least one environment-sensitive optical probe; subjecting said substrate to a temperature ramp that includes the glass transition temperatures of the polymerized materials; and simultaneously monitoring the optical behavior of each probe in response to the glass transition temperature of the polymerized materials within the array.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
75 words
A method for screening an array of polymerized materials at predefined locations on a substrate comprising: preparing on a substrate a spatially defined array of different polymerized materials containing at least one environment-sensitive optical probe; subjecting said substrate to a temperature ramp that includes the glass transition temperatures of the polymerized materials; and simultaneously monitoring the optical behavior of each probe in response to the glass transition temperature of the polymerized materials within the array.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring step includes the step of observing the optical probe under conditions that allow the parallel measurement of the absolute properties of the materials in the array.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring step includes the step of observing the optical probe under conditions that allow the parallel measurement of the relative properties of the materials in the array.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring step comprises; directing light onto the optical probes and materials in the array; changing the environment of the substrate; and measuring a property of each material as a function of the changed environment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein each optical probe is a dye.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said optical probe is an inorganic phosphor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the preparing step comprises: combining a array of materials with a dye to form a library of resulting materials; and casting the resulting materials onto predefined locations on a substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the optical probes are monitored with a sensor array.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the sensor array is selected from the group comprising: CCD measuring systems, UV measuring systems, visible measuring systems, and IR measuring systems.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials are amorphous.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials are crystalline.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials are pure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials are a mixture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials are bulk.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials include a particle of materials.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials include a thin film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials include a dispersion of materials.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials include an emulsion of materials.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said materials include a solution of materials.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the array is comprised of at least 5 materials.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the array is comprised of at least 10 materials.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the array is comprised of at least 20 materials.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the array is comprised of at least 50 materials.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the array is comprised of at least 100 materials.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the array is comprised of at least 500 materials.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the array is comprised of at least 1,000 materials.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
113 words
A system for screening an array of materials at predefined locations on a substrate comprising: an array of polymerized materials having an optical probe therein on said substrate; at least one environment-sensitive optical probe combined with each of the materials at the predefined locations on the substrate; a light source for directing light at each of the predefined locations on the substrate; a measurement system for monitoring the optical properties of the probe at each location to characterize one or more properties of each material on the substrate; and a system for controlling the environment of the substrate, wherein the properties of the materials are characterized as a function of the controlled environment.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
113 words
A system for screening an array of materials at predefined locations on a substrate comprising: an array of polymerized materials having an optical probe therein on said substrate; at least one environment-sensitive optical probe combined with each of the materials at the predefined locations on the substrate; a light source for directing light at each of the predefined locations on the substrate; a measurement system for monitoring the optical properties of the probe at each location to characterize one or more properties of each material on the substrate; and a system for controlling the environment of the substrate, wherein the properties of the materials are characterized as a function of the controlled environment.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system as described in claim 27, wherein said environmental-sensitive optical probe is a dye.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system as described in claim 27, wherein the system for controlling the environment is a temperature varying system.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system as described in claim 27, wherein the measurement system comprises a sensor array for measuring a fluorescence intensity of each optical probe as a function of temperature.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system as described in claim 27, wherein the measurement system is a CCD system.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system as described in claim 27, wherein the measurement system is a UV system.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as described in claim 1, wherein said optical measurement system is a visible system.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as described in claim 1, wherein said optical measurement system is an IR system.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-21 | 2004-05-22 | 2004-11-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-21 | 2008-05-22 | 2008-11-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-21 | 2012-05-22 | 2012-11-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |