1. A method for fabricating probes for a probe card assembly, the method comprising:
forming, on a flat reusable substrate, a metallic layer having a passive oxidized surface;
forming a first photomask on the passive oxidized surface;
forming a first plurality of apertures in the first photomask, said first plurality of apertures exposing portions of the passive oxidized surface;
forming a first plurality of probe elements of a conductive material in the first plurality of apertures and on the passive oxidized surface;
removing the first photomask from the passive oxidized surface;
after removing the first photomask, removing the first plurality of probe elements from the passive oxidized surface; then
forming a second photomask directly on the passive oxidized surface;
forming a second plurality of apertures in the second photomask, said second plurality of apertures exposing portions of the passive oxidized surface;
forming a second plurality of probe elements of the conductive material in the second plurality of apertures and on the passive oxidized surface;
removing the second photomask from the passive oxidized surface; and
after removing the second photomask, removing the second plurality of probe elements from the passive oxidized surface.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the forming a first plurality of probe elements in the first plurality of apertures includes forming a first plurality of layered probe elements in the first plurality of apertures, wherein each layered probe element from the first plurality of layered probe elements includes at least two layers of different materials.
3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least two layers of different materials includes a layer of material formed in between two layers of gold.
4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the layer of material comprises one or more of a layer of nickel and a layer of nickel alloy.
5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein
the flat reusable substrate comprises stainless steel.
6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second photomasks comprise first and second dryfilm photomasks.
7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second photomasks comprise the same material.
8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:
the passive oxidized surface is made of a material that does not adhere well with the first and second pluralities of probe elements.
9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the flat reusable substrate comprises stainless steel.
10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the metallic layer comprises a layer of oxidized nickel.
11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the flat reusable substrate comprises stainless steel.
12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
prior to forming the first photomask on the reusable substrate, cleaning the passive oxidized layer, and
after removing the first plurality of probe elements and prior to forming the second photomask on the passive oxidized layer, cleaning the passive oxidized layer.
13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises a nickel alloy.
14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the conductive material comprises NiMn.
15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising after removing the first plurality of probe elements, applying a conductive coating to the first plurality of probe elements.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An optical analysis disc, comprising:
a substrate having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter;
an operational layer associated with said substrate, said operational layer including encoded information located substantially along information tracks; and
an analysis area including investigational features, said analysis area being positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate and directed along said information tracks so that when an incident beam of electromagnetic energy tracks along said information tracks, any investigational features within the analysis area are thereby interrogated circumferentially.
2. An optical analysis disc, comprising:
a substrate having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter;
an operational layer associated with said substrate, said operational layer including encoded information located substantially along information tracks; and
an analysis area including investigational features, said analysis area being positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate and directed along said information tracks so that when an incident beam of electromagnetic energy tracks along said information tracks, any investigational features within the analysis area are thereby interrogated according to a spiral path.
3. An optical analysis disc, comprising:
a substrate having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter;
an operational layer associated with said substrate, said operational layer including encoded information located substantially along information tracks; and
an analysis area including investigational features, said analysis area being positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate and directed along said information tracks so that when an incident beam of electromagnetic energy tracks along said information tracks, any investigational features within the analysis area are thereby interrogated according to a path of varying angular coordinate.
4. The optical analysis disc according to claim 1 wherein said substrate includes a series of substantially circular information tracks that increase in circumference as a function of radius extending from said inner perimeter to said outer perimeter.
5. The optical analysis disc according to claim 4 wherein said analysis area is circumferentially elongated between a pre-selected number of circular information tracks.
6. The optical analysis disc according to claim 5 wherein said investigational features are interrogated substantially along said circular information tracks between a pre-selected inner and outer circumference.
7. The optical analysis disc according to claim 1 wherein said analysis area includes a fluid chamber.
8. The optical analysis bio-disc according to claim 1 wherein rotation of said disc distributes investigational features in a substantially consistent distribution along said analysis area.
9. The optical analysis disc according to claim 1 wherein rotation of said disc distributes the concentration of investigational features in a substantially even distribution along said analysis area.
10. An optical analysis disc, comprising:
a substrate having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter; and
an analysis zone including investigational features, said analysis zone being positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate and extending according to a varying angular coordinate.
11. An optical analysis disc, comprising:
a substrate having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter; and
an analysis zone including investigational features, said analysis zone being positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate and extending according to a varying angular and radial coordinate.
12. An optical analysis disc, comprising:
a substrate having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter; and
an analysis zone including investigational features, said analysis zone being positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate and extending according to a varying angular coordinate and at a substantially fixed radial coordinate.
13. An optical analysis disc, comprising:
a substrate having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter;
an analysis zone including investigational features, said analysis zone being positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate and extending according to a substantially circumferential path.
14. An optical analysis disc, comprising:
a substrate having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter;
an analysis zone including investigational features, said analysis zone being positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate and extending according to a substantially spiral path.
15. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 further comprising an operational layer associated with said substrate, said operational layer including encoded information located substantially along information tracks.
16. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 wherein said substrate includes a series of information tracks and said analysis zone is directed substantially along said information tracks, so that when an incident beam of electromagnetic energy tracks along said information tracks, any investigational features within the analysis zone are thereby interrogated circumferentially.
17. The optical analysis disc according to claim 16 wherein said information tracks are substantially circular and increase in circumference as a function of radius extending from said inner perimeter to said outer perimeter.
18. The optical analysis disc according to claim 17 wherein said analysis zone is circumferentially elongated between a pre-selected number of circular information tracks.
19. The optical analysis disc according to claim 18 wherein said investigational features are interrogated substantially along said circular information tracks between a pre-selected inner and outer circumference.
20. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 wherein said analysis zone comprises a plurality of reaction sites arranged according to a varying angular coordinate.
21. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 wherein said analysis zone comprises a plurality of capture or target zones arranged according to a varying angular coordinate.
22. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 comprising a plurality of analysis zones positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate, wherein at least one analysis zone of said plurality extends according to a varying angular coordinate.
23. The optical analysis disc according to claim 22 wherein the analysis zones of said plurality extend according to a substantially circumferential path and are concentrically arranged around said bio-disc inner perimeter.
24. The optical analysis disc according to claim 22 further comprising multiple tiers of analysis zones.
25. The optical analysis disc according to claim 24 wherein each analysis zone extends according to a substantially circumferential path and each tier is arranged onto the disc at a respective radial coordinate.
26. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 wherein said analysis zone comprises at least one fluid chamber extending according to a varying angular coordinate.
27. The optical analysis disc according to claim 26 wherein said at least one fluid chamber has a central portion extending according to a varying angular coordinate, and two lateral arm portions extending according to a substantially radial direction.
28. The optical analysis disc according to claim 27 wherein said chamber central portion has an angular extension \u03b8a being in a ratio \u03b8a\u03b8 equal to or greater than 0.25 with the angle \u03b8 comprised between said chamber arm portions.
29. The optical analysis disc according to claim 26 wherein said analysis zone comprises at least a liquid-containing channel extending according a substantially circumferential path and wherein the radius of curvature of said channel rc and the length of the column of liquid b contained within said channel are in a ratio rcb equal to or greater than 0.5.
30. The optical analysis disc according to claim 29 wherein said ratio rcb is equal to or greater than 1.
31. The optical analysis disc according to claim 26 comprising two inlet ports located at a lower radial coordinate of the bio-disc with respect to said analysis zone.
32. The optical analysis disc according to claim 27 comprising two inlet ports located each at one end of a respective lateral arm portion of said at least one fluid chamber.
33. The optical analysis disc according to claim 26 wherein said at least one fluid chamber is a fluid channel.
34. The optical analysis disc according to claim 33 further comprising a plurality of analysis fluid channels extending according to a varying angular coordinate.
35. The optical analysis disc according to claim 34 further comprising multiple tiers of analysis fluid channels.
36. The optical analysis disc according to claim 35 further comprising two tiers of circumferential fluid channels with ABO chemistry and two different blood types.
37. The optical analysis disc according to claim 35 further comprising two tiers of circumferential fluid channels with two different assays.
38. The optical analysis disc according to claim 37 wherein said two assays comprises CD4CD8 chemistry and ABORH chemistry.
39. The optical analysis disc according to claim 34 wherein the fluid channels of said plurality are arranged at substantially the same radial coordinate.
40. The optical analysis disc according to claim 39 further comprising six circumferential analysis fluid channels arranged at substantially the same radial coordinate.
41. The optical analysis disc according to claim 39 further comprising four circumferential analysis fluid channels arranged at substantially the same radial coordinate.
42. The optical analysis disc according to claim 34 wherein the fluid channels of said plurality include different concentrations of cultured cells.
43. The optical analysis disc according to claim 34 wherein the fluid channels of said plurality are arranged at different radial coordinates.
44. The optical analysis disc according to claim 34 wherein the fluid channels of said plurality have different sizes.
45. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 implemented in a reflective-type optical bio-disc.
46. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 implemented in a transmissive-type optical bio-disc.
47. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 wherein rotation of said disc distributes investigational features in a substantially consistent distribution along said analysis zone.
48. The optical analysis disc according to claim 10 wherein rotation of said bio-disc distributes the concentration of investigational features in a substantially even distribution along said analysis zone.
49. An optical analysis disc, comprising:
a substrate having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter; and
an analysis zone including investigational features and positioned between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter of said substrate, said analysis zone including at least one liquid-containing channel having at least a portion which extends along a substantially circumferential path, the radius of curvature of said channel circumferential portion rc and the length of the column of liquid b contained within said channel being in a ratio rcb equal to or greater than 0.5.
50. The optical analysis disc according to claim 49 wherein said ratio rcb is equal to or greater than 1.
51. The optical analysis disc according to claim 49 implemented in a reflective-type optical bio-disc.
52. The optical analysis disc according to claim 49 implemented in a transmissive-type optical bio-disc.
53. An optical analysis disc system for use with an optical analysis bio-disc having an analysis zone including investigational features, said system comprising interrogation means adapted to interrogate said investigational features according to a varying angular coordinate.
54. An optical analysis disc system for use with an optical analysis disc having information tracks and an analysis zone including investigational features, wherein said system comprises interrogation means such that when an incident beam of electromagnetic energy tracks along said information tracks, any investigational features within the analysis zone are thereby interrogated circumferentially.
55. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate the investigational features according to a varying angular coordinate at a substantially fixed radial coordinate.
56. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate the investigational features according to a varying angular and radial coordinate.
57. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate the investigational features according to a spiral path.
58. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate the investigational features according to a substantially circumferential path.
59. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features at a plurality of reaction sites arranged according to a varying angular coordinate.
60. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features at a plurality of capture zones or target zones arranged according to a varying angular coordinate.
61. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features at a plurality of analysis zones at least one of which is directed along a varying angular coordinate.
62. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 61 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features at multiple tiers of analysis zones.
63. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within at least one fluid chamber extending according to a varying angular coordinate.
64. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 63 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within a plurality of fluid chambers.
65. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 64 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within multiple tiers of fluid chambers.
66. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 64 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within a plurality of substantially circumferential fluid chambers arranged at substantially the same radial coordinate.
67. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 64 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within fluid chambers arranged at different radial coordinates.
68. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 64 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within fluid chambers of different sizes.
69. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 64 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within fluid chambers with ABO chemistry and two blood types.
70. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 64 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within fluid chambers with different assays.
71. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 64 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within fluid channels with CD4CD8 chemistry and ABORH chemistry.
72. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 64 wherein said interrogation means are adapted to interrogate investigational features within fluid chambers including different concentrations of cultured cells.
73. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein the arrangement is such that rotation of the bio-disc distributes investigational features in a substantially consistent distribution along the analysis zone.
74. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein the arrangement is such that rotation of the bio-disc distributes investigational features in a substantially even distribution along the analysis zone.
75. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said optical analysis disc is implemented in a reflective-type optical bio-disc.
76. The optical analysis disc system according to claim 53 wherein said optical analysis disc is implemented in a transmissive-type optical bio-disc.
77. A method for the interrogation of investigational features within an optical analysis bio-disc having an analysis zone including said features, which method provides interrogation of said features according to a varying angular coordinate.
78. A method for the interrogation of investigational features within an optical analysis disc having information tracks and an analysis zone including said features, which method provides an interrogation step of said investigational features such that when an incident beam of electromagnetic energy tracks along said information tracks, any investigational features within the analysis zone are thereby interrogated circumferentially.
79. The method according to claim 77 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of the investigational features according to a varying angular coordinate at a substantially fixed radial coordinate.
80. The method according to claim 77 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of the investigational features according to a varying angular and radial coordinate.
81. The method according to claim 77 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of the investigational features according to a spiral path.
82. The method according to claim 77 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of the investigational features according to a substantially circumferential path.
83. The method according to claim 77 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features at a plurality of reaction sites arranged according to a varying angular coordinate.
84. The method according to claim 77 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features at a plurality of capture zones or target zones arranged according to a varying angular coordinate.
85. The method according to claim 77 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features at a plurality of analysis zones at least one of which extends according to a varying angular coordinate.
86. The method according to claim 85 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features at multiple tiers of analysis zones.
87. The method according to claim 77 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features within at least one fluid chamber extending according to a varying angular coordinate.
88. The method according to claim 87 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features within a plurality of fluid chambers.
89. The method according to claim 88 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features within multiple tiers of fluid chambers.
90. The method according to claim 88 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features within a plurality of circumferential fluid chambers arranged at substantially the same radial coordinate.
91. The method according to claim 88 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features within fluid chambers arranged at different radial coordinates.
92. The method according to claim 88 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features within fluid chambers of different sizes.
93. The method according to claim 88 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features within fluid chambers with different assays.
94. The method according to claim 88 wherein said interrogation step provides interrogation of investigational features within fluid chambers including different concentrations of cultured cells.
95. The method according to claim 77 wherein rotation of the bio-disc distributes investigational features in a substantially consistent distribution along the analysis zone.
96. The method according to claim 77 wherein rotation of the bio-disc distributes investigational features in a substantially even distribution along the analysis zone.