Patent ID: 7488607

Claim:
A method of detecting a target in a sample, the method comprising: (a) contacting a microarray with the sample, the microarray comprising a plurality of features disposed on a substrate, each feature comprising a first electrode disposed on the substrate, a second electrode disposed on the substrate, a pad of resistive material disposed on the substrate between the first electrode and the second electrode, said pad of material comprising a material selected from the group consisting of carbon thin film, metal thin film, metal nitride, nichrom (NiCr), tantalum nitride (Ta 2 N), silicon chrome, and metal oxide, and a probe supported on the pad of resistive material, the substrate comprising integrated addressing circuitry in operable relation to each of the plurality of features; (b) applying a source of metal ions to the plurality of features to result in metal deposited between the first electrode and the second electrode of said features where the target is present, said metal providing a change in an observable property of at least one of the plurality of features; (c) providing a signal to the addressing circuitry to select one of the plurality of features to be interrogated; and (d) measuring the observable property at the selected feature to detect the target.