Patent ID: 8906701

Claim:
A method of decreasing detection time of a metal-enhanced fluorescence assay for detection of same target molecules in a sample, the method comprising: applying a multiplicity of metallic particles to a substrate surface, wherein the metallic particles are nanostructures, island or colloids, and wherein the substrate surface is glass, quartz or polymeric material; connecting capture molecules to the metallic particles, wherein the capture molecules have binding affinity for the target molecules; introducing a solution suspected of including the target molecules; applying sonic energy to the assay system for a time period sufficient to increase movement of the target molecules towards the metallic particles thereby binding with capture molecules, wherein the sonic energy is applied from 30 seconds to 90 seconds and is delivered at a range from 20 kHz to 60 kHz; introducing fluorescence detector molecules having affinity for the target molecules, wherein the fluorescence detector molecules can be added before, during or after the application of sonic energy and wherein the fluorescence detector molecules are positioned from about 5 nm to about 50 nm from the metallic particles; applying electromagnetic energy at a frequency to excite the fluorescence molecules; and measuring any fluorescence signal.