Patent ID: 6743633
Filing Date: 2004-06-01
Classification: B01F,B01J,B01L,C12Q,C40B,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for analyzing specified properties of a set of samples, the method comprising:a. providing a platen having two substantially parallel planar surfaces, an inner layer of hydrophilic material, two outer layers of hydrophobic material coupled to opposite sides of the inner layer, and a two-dimensional array of a plurality of addressable through-holes, the through-holes being disposed substantially perpendicularly to the planar surfaces and the array characterized by an areal density of at least 1.6 through-holes per square millimeter; b. loading a first sample into a first set of through-holes of the two-dimensional array, the first sample being a liquid; c. retaining the first sample in the first set of through-holes by surface tension; d. adding a second sample into a specified subset of through-holes, the specified subset of through-holes having at least one adjacent through-hole containing a sample other than the second sample, the specified subset of through-holes further coinciding with one of the first set of at least one of the though-holes thereby permitting a reaction between the first sample and the second sample, wherein the layers of hydrophobic material prevent capillary outmigration of the samples; and e. characterizing the reaction in the specified subset of through-holes in terms of the specified properties.