Patent ID: 7932025

Claim:
A method for determining whether a nucleotide or an oligonucleotide is added to a nucleic acid, the method comprising: a) providing a solid support having an immobilized nucleic acid; b) performing a nucleic acid addition reaction by adding a nucleotide or an oligonucleotide to the nucleic acid immobilized on the solid support to synthesize a nucleic acid molecule on the solid support; c) after the nucleic acid addition reaction, passing the solid support through a channel opening with at least one detector, wherein the at least one detector detects the length of a nucleic acid; d) determining whether the nucleotide or the oligonucleotide is added to the nucleic acid immobilized on the solid support using the at least one detector, wherein an increase in length of the nucleic acid molecule on the solid support indicates that the nucleotide or the oligonucleotide is added to the nucleic acid immobilized on the solid support; and e) repeating steps b) through d) if the nucleotide or the oligonucleotide is not added to the nucleic acid immobilized on the solid support.