Patent ID: 7129046

Claim:
A method of fabricating an array of multiple probes bonded to a front surface of a substrate at different features of the array, which substrate includes a metal layer, the method comprising: (a) providing the substrate wherein the front surface displays first functional groups; (b) contacting the front surface with linker molecules each having: i) a group which binds the linker molecule to the front surface following a reaction with a surface displayed first functional group, which reaction does not produce a reagent which attacks the metal layer; and ii) a second functional group that can be converted to a hydroxyl group wherein the second functional group is a carboxylic ester functional group, c) converting second functional groups on said front surface to hydroxyl groups; and d) contacting the front surface with the probes or probe precursors to bind the probes or probe precursors to the front surface bound linker molecules and produce the array.