Patent ID: 7745143

Claim:
A method for analyzing a sample comprising: (a) providing a microarray comprising a surface having a plurality of discrete locations, each of which includes a first member of a chemical binding pair and is associated with a surface plasmon resonance; (b) irradiating the discrete locations on the surface of the microarray with a light beam using an apparatus comprising a light source, a digital micromirror device, and a prism or lens located between the digital micromirror device and the surface of the microarray; (c) contacting the surface of the microarray with a sample comprising a second member of the chemical binding pair, whereupon, in at least one of the discrete locations, the second member of the chemical binding pair binds to the first member of the chemical binding pair on the surface of the microarray and causes a spectral shift in the surface plasmon resonance associated with the discrete location where the chemical binding occurs; and (d) detecting the surface plasmon resonance spectral shift associated with each location as a function of time therefore providing surface plasmon resonance detection of chemical binding with said sample in an array format.