Patent ID: 6936311

Claim:
A method for creating a microarray of biomaterial comprising the steps of: providing one or more sources of laser energy that produce laser energy; providing a receiving substrate; wherein the receiving substrate is positioned opposite the source of laser energy; providing a target substrate; wherein the target substrate is positioned between the receiving substrate and the source of laser energy; wherein a gap exists between the receiving substrate and the target substrate; wherein the target substrate comprises a laser-transparent support and a composite material; wherein the laser-transparent support has a laser-facing surface facing the source of laser energy; wherein the laser-transparent support has a support surface facing the receiving substrate; wherein the composite material has a back surface in contact with the support surface; wherein the composite material has a front surface facing the receiving substrate; wherein the composite material comprises a mixture of a matrix material and a transfer material; wherein the transfer material comprises biomaterial; and wherein the matrix material has the property of being desorbed from the laser-transparent support when exposed to the laser energy; positioning the source of laser energy in a spaced relation to the target substrate so that the laser energy will strike the composite material at a defined target location; positioning the receiving substrate in a spaced relation to the target substrate; exposing the target substrate to the laser energy; wherein the laser energy is directed through the laser-facing surface and through the laser-transparent support to strike the composite material at the support surface-back surface interface at the defined target location; wherein the laser energy has sufficient energy to cause the desorption of the composite material from the support surface; and wherein the desorbed composite material is deposited at a defined receiving location on the receiving substrate to form a deposited composite material; and repeating the steps of positioning the source of laser energy, positioning the receiving substrate, and exposing the target substrate at successive defined target locations and successive defined receiving locations such that the composite material is deposited as a microarray of deposited composite material.