Method for making probe support and apparatus used for the method

摘要

A liquid discharging device includes a plurality of liquid discharge sections. Each liquid discharge section includes a reservoir, a nozzle that discharges a solution supplied from the reservoir, and discharge energy generating means that generates energy to discharge the solution from the nozzle. The number of the liquid discharge sections corresponds to the number of probe types to be formed. The nozzles are two-dimensionally arranged. Using this liquid discharging device, probe liquids are discharged from the corresponding reservoirs onto a solid-phase substrate to form a predetermined two-dimensional probe array of high-purity probes on the substrate. This process exhibits high reproducibility and processability, and the resulting probe array has high array density.

主权项

1. A method for making a probe support having a plurality of types of probes at different positions thereon, the method comprising the steps of:
supplying liquids containing the probes to each of reservoirs for containing the liquids of a discharging device including a substrate provided with the reservoirs, and to discharge nozzles connecting with the corresponding reservoirs, the number of reservoirs and discharge nozzles being at least the number of probes, aligning the discharge nozzles and the support relatively; and discharging the liquids containing the probes from the discharge nozzles to each of different positions on the support, wherein the direction of discharge of the liquids from the nozzles is perpendicular to a first plane defined by a nozzle orifice of the nozzles, and the reservoirs are formed on the side opposite to the side provided with the nozzles so as to correspond to the nozzles, wherein the liquid discharging device comprises: a first substrate comprising a first face having a plurality of energy generators for generating energy for discharging a liquid, and a second face having a plurality of inlet ports arranged on the opposite side of the first face, each inlet port corresponding to one of a plurality of first penetrating holes of the first substrate; a nozzle member provided on the first face side of the first substrate and having the plurality of liquid discharge nozzles; and a second substrate laminated on the second face side of the first substrate and having a plurality of second penetrating holes which continue through the second substrate, wherein each one of the plurality of second penetrating holes is in communication with an inlet port of a corresponding one of the plurality of first penetrating holes, to form a plurality of individual flow paths that are independent from one another, each flow path comprising a second penetrating hole, a first penetrating hole, a nozzle, and a channel that communicates with the nozzle and the first penetrating hole, wherein a position of the nozzle is not aligned with a position of the first penetrating hole, and wherein each energy generator of the plurality of energy generators is positioned adjacent to a corresponding channel and a corresponding nozzle, and in the supplying, the liquids are, and in the supplying, the liquids are supplied to each of the reservoirs by a dispenser through the inlet ports.