Patent ID: 7094609

Claim:
A method conducting an optical inspection of an array of synthesis sites to identify one or more synthesis sites where an analyte is bound, said method comprising the steps of: providing a mechanism comprising a laser and laser detector; providing an optical disc which includes encoded information in a form that is readable by the mechanism, said optical disc further including an array of synthesis sites where each of said synthesis sites includes chemically reactive, reactive compounds which are capable of binding selectively to an analyte and wherein said mechanism provides a laser beam which is used to optically inspect said synthesis sites and includes a sample beam and a reference beam and where said sample beam is reflected from or transmitted through said synthesis site and said reference beam is reflected from or transmitted through a location on said disc adjacent to said synthesis site; using said mechanism to conduct an optical inspection of said array of synthesis sites to provide identification of which synthesis sites contain said analyte; reading said encoded information with said mechanism and conducting said optical inspection in response to encoded information that was read.