Patent ID: 7101508
Filing Date: 2006-09-05
Classification: B01J,B01L,C40B,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for fabricating an addressable array having multiple features carrying chemical probes at different locations on a substrate surface, which when operated according to a target drive pattern based on nominal operating parameters of the apparatus provides the probes on the substrate surface in a target array pattern, the apparatus comprising: a) a substrate unit which comprises a substrate holder and optionally a substrate received on the holder; b) a drop deposition unit which includes a drop deposition head; c) a transport system to move the deposition unit with respect to a received substrate; d) at least one sensor; e) a control unit which includes a processor programmed to operate the apparatus to: i) deposit at least one drop from the head unit onto a received substrate surface; ii) view a fiducial on the substrate unit from a sensor; iii) view a deposited drop on the substrate surface, from a sensor; iv) determine an actual position of the viewed deposited drop relative to a fiducial on the substrate unit, based on the views of the fiducial and deposited drop; v) determine an error based on any difference between the actual and target positions; vi) deposits further drops from the head unit onto the substrate surface at feature locations while moving at least one of the substrate unit or head unit with respect to the other, so as to fabricate the array.