Patent ID: 7101661

Claim:
An apparatus for the enhanced detection of a biological reaction between a sample and an active area of a biochip, the apparatus comprising: a printed circuit board; a biochip having an active area that is disposed on the printed circuit board; an adhesive that mounts the biochip to the printed circuit board; a permeation layer disposed on the surface of the biochip; a fluidic system adapted to flow the sample over the active area of the biochip, wherein the fluidic system comprises a fluid inlet port; a fluid outlet port; a flow cell connecting the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the flow cell includes at least first and second planar portions defining at least a portion of the flow path from the inlet port to the outlet port, the first planar portion being between the inlet port and the biochip and the second planar portion being between the outlet port and the biochip; and an optical window, the optical window including a flat bottom portion, that is disposed in a plane parallel to the biochip, the window being between the fluid inlet and output ports, wherein the flat bottom portion of the optical window is offset from said first and second planar portions of the flow cell, wherein the optical window is adapted to permit radiation from the active area of the biochip to external of the apparatus, and wherein the optical window, biochip, and flow cell define a sample chamber.