New
Perspectives for Biotech:
Fast Label-free Detection with EP³
The third generation of Nanofilm´s Imaging Ellipsometer
EP³ with an entirely new optical detection method allows
fast label-free detection in most application areas of biochip
and proteomics research.
Using the EP³ you can quickly estimate the quality of your
spots, measure hybridization, record real-time kinetics, etc.
In contrast to other techniques, the EP³ will also allow
you to measure:
- homogeneity of surfaces (e.g. before and after coating your
biochips)
- amounts of immobilized material
Principles of Imaging Ellipsometry
Ellipsometry is a non-destructive, label-free optical method
for determining film thickness and optical properties. It measures
the change in the state of polarization of the light reflected
of the film´s surface. Fast ellipsometry methods, single
or multi wavelength, have been adopted for monitoring film growth
in situ, allowing the precise control of film deposition. The
development of Imaging Ellipsometry, which combines the power
of ellipsometry with microscopy, has a lateral or spatial resolution
of down to 1 µm. The enhanced spatial resolution of imaging
Ellipsometers potentially expands this technology into new areas
of bio analytics and microelectronics.
Quality Control of Biochips
All spots of immobilized biological macromolecules on a biochip
should have a homogeneous shape and the same size. If these requirements
are fulfilled, the amount of material that can hybridize is quantified
correctly and the results are reliable. Ideally, the quality of
the spots would be monitored in each production step to avoid
the loss of expensive probes on non optimal biochips. Current
techniques for quality control either need very time-consuming
staining processes or destroy the biochips.
By using the EP³ with the non-destructive and label-free
method of imaging ellipsometry, the shape and the size of all
spots can be controlled without staining or before the hybridization
takes place. Additionally, it enables an evaluation of the results
afterwards.
The spot detection with the EP³ does not require any marker
and therefore, reduces expenses for labelled nucleotides and measurement
hardware. Besides this, the natural activity of proteins is not
affected by any attached marker.
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