Patent ID: 8628949

Claim:
An apparatus for producing a probe carrier comprising: a plurality of chambers, including at least a probe imparting chamber, the probe imparting chamber comprising: a support device for supporting a carrier; a liquid ejection head for imparting a plurality of solutions to predetermined positions on the carrier, the plurality of solutions containing probes capable of specifically binding to target substances; a scan device for scanning the liquid ejection head relative to the support device; and a chamber for maintaining an environment containing the liquid ejection head at a humidity of 60% or more, wherein the liquid ejection head comprises a plurality of reservoirs and a plurality of liquid ejection nozzles, wherein the plurality of reservoirs accommodate a plurality of probe solutions containing probes specifically binding to the target substances, wherein the plurality of liquid ejection nozzles are those for receiving a supply of the probe solutions from the plurality of reservoirs and imparting droplets of the probe solutions onto the predetermined positions on the carrier, wherein at least the support device and the liquid ejection head are installed in the environment where the humidity can be maintained at 60% or more before imparting the droplets of the probe solutions and the humidity is maintained at 60% or more while imparting the droplets, wherein the chamber has an opening for inserting the carrier into the chamber, and wherein the chamber covers a region where the liquid ejection head and the scan device are moved; and means for transporting the carrier, wherein the chambers are arranged around the transport means, and wherein the transport means transports the carrier for insertion into and removal from the chambers.