Patent ID: 9341570
Filing Date: 2016-05-17
CPC Classification: G01N

Claim Text:
1. A method for detecting an analyte in a test sample comprising the steps of: (a) forming liquid crystal microdomains having one or more defects from a liquid crystal, wherein the liquid crystal microdomains are capable of scattering light; (b) contacting the liquid crystal with a test sample that may contain the analyte; (c) obtaining measurements of the scattering of light by other liquid crystal microdomains that do not include the analyte; (d) exposing the liquid crystal microdomains formed from the liquid crystal contacted with the test sample to light; (e) measuring the scattering of light by the liquid crystal microdomains formed from the liquid crystal contacted with the test sample, wherein a difference between the resulting light scattering measurements as compared to the light scattering measurements exhibited by other liquid crystal microdomains that do not include the analyte indicates the presence of the analyte in the test sample, and wherein no difference between the resulting light scattering measurements as compared to the light scattering measurements exhibited by other liquid crystal microdomains that do not include the analyte indicates the absence of the analyte in the test sample.