Patent ID: 7005268

Claim:
A method for detecting the presence of target molecules bound to a working electrode in a first location, said method comprising the steps of: coating said first location with a detection solution containing labeling molecules comprising a first charge-separation moiety attached to a first molecule that binds to said target molecule after said target molecules having been bound to said working electrode in said first location, said first charge-separation moiety comprising a semiconducting material that generates hole-electron pairs in response to being illuminated by light in a first band of wavelengths; removing any unbound labeling molecules from said working electrode; immersing said working electrode in a solution containing a compound that is oxidized by said generated holes; selectively illuminating said first location with light in said first band while said working electrode is immersed in said solution; and measuring a change in an electrical quantity between said working electrode and a reference electrode in contact with said solution to detect labeling molecules that are bound to said target molecules.