Process for producing reaction site array

Abstract

A reaction site array to be used in conducting a plurality of reactions between two or more kinds of substances in a liquid medium with a trace amount is provided. The reaction site array comprises a plurality of reaction sites separated from each other. Each reaction site is composed of a first region and a second region. The second region is raised from the first region to separate the first regions from each other. The second region has an affinity to a liquid medium lower than that of the first region. A preparation process of the reaction site and a reaction process using the reaction site array is also provided.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for producing a reaction site array comprising a plurality of reaction sites to conduct a reaction between two or more kinds of substances in a liquid medium, each of the reaction sites being composed of a first region having a first affinity to the liquid medium and separated from each other by a second region having a second affinity to the liquid medium which is lower than the first affinity, and the second region being raised from the first region, the process comprising the steps of: 
 providing a support; and    forming a matrix pattern having the second affinity and being raised from the support surface, to form the first region composed of the support surface exposed corresponding to the matrix pattern and the second region composed of the matrix pattern.    
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the support surface is hydrophilic and the matrix pattern surface is hydrophobic.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the support surface is lipophilic and the matrix pattern surface is non-lipophilic.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the matrix pattern is made of a resin material.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the matrix pattern is made by a photolithographic process.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein the photolithographic process comprises the steps of: 
 making a resin layer on the support surface;    forming a photoresist layer on the resin layer;    irradiating light to the photoresist layer to make a pattern corresponding to the matrix pattern;    developing the exposed photoresist layer;    patterning the resin layer using the photoresist layer as a mask; and    forming the matrix pattern by removing the photoresist layer.    
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein the photolithographic process comprises the steps of: 
 making a photosensitive resin layer on the support surface;    irradiating light to the photosensitive resin layer to make a pattern corresponding to the matrix pattern;    developing the photosensitive resin layer to make the matrix pattern.    
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the matrix pattern made of the photosensitive resin layer is further subjected to post-baking process to improve its water repellency.  
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 2 , wherein the support surface is hydrophilic, and the support surface composing the first region is subjected to etching using the matrix pattern as a mask to improve the hydrophilicity of the first region.  
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the support is transparent and the matrix pattern is opaque.  
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 10 , wherein the matrix pattern is colored in black.  
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the height of the matrix pattern is from 1 μm to 20 μm.  
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first regions adjacent each other is from ½ times to 2 times a maximum length of the first region.