Patent ID: 7754427

Claim:
A process for sequencing nucleic acids, comprising the steps of: providing a planar support having a multiplicity of nucleic acid-degrading enzyme molecules immobilized thereon, wherein the support is optically transparent at least in the region of the immobilized enzyme molecules, contacting said support with free nucleic acid molecules carrying a plurality of fluorescent labeling groups, progressively cleaving off individual nucleotide building blocks from said free nucleic acid molecules by said immobilized enzyme molecules, and simultaneously determining the base sequence of a plurality of nucleic acid molecules on the basis of the time-dependent change, caused when nucleotide building blocks are cleaved off, in the fluorescence of said nucleic acid molecules or/and of said cleaved-off nucleotide building blocks, wherein determining the base sequence comprises fluorescence excitation by lasers and wherein laser light is irradiated into the support and the formation of an evanescent excitation field is caused by internal reflection on the support surface in the region of the immobilized enzyme molecules.