Arrays with elongated features

Abstract

Arrays having multiple biopolymer features on a substrate, including elongated features which have a length/width ratio greater than 1.3 or more. Such arrays may be oriented in various directions and of shapes described, and fabricated using apparatus, methods, or computer program products of the invention.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
     
     
         13 . A method of fabricating an array having biopolymer features on a substrate, comprising:  
       (a) for each of multiple features, depositing multiple drops at least some of which carry the biopolymer or a biopolymer precursor, onto the substrate from a drop deposition head system while the head system is spaced from the substrate; and  
       (b) moving the head system with respect to the substrate; 
 so as to fabricate the array with elongated features having a length width ratio greater than 1.3.  
 
     
     
         14 . A method according to clam  13  wherein the lengths of at least some of the elongated features arc oriented in different directions.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the head system is scanned in a raster fashion and wherein the lengths of at least some of the elongated features are oriented in a direction other than along the lines of the raster.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein other of the drops deposited in (a) do not carry the biopolymer or biopolymer precursor, and wherein the elongated features arc not formed absent the other of the drops.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the head system has multiple pulse jets and multiple drops for a feature are deposited from different pulse jets while the head system is moved with respect to the substrate.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the at least some of the drops deposited from different pulse jets arc of the same composition.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the elongated features have a narrower portion which is intermediate wider portions.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the head system has multiple pulse jets and the multiple drops for a feature are deposited from a same pulse jet while the head system is moved with respect to the substrate.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein multiple drops of a liquid carrying a biopolymer precursor are deposited at each feature.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the multiple drops of liquid deposited for each feature include at least one drop of a biopolymer precursor and at least one drop of an activator which causes the biopolymer precursor to link to a moiety on the substrate.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22  additionally comprising repeating one or more cycles of (a) and (h) for each of the elongated features.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein for each of multiple elongated features the rate of deposition of the drops and the velocity of the head system are such that the elongated features have a length/width ratio of greater than 1.5.  
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein for each of multiple elongated features the rate of deposition of the drops and the velocity of the head system are such that the elongated features have a length/width ratio greater than 3.  
     
     
         26 . A method comprising, following exposure of an array of claim  1  to a sample, reading the array.  
     
     
         27 . A method comprising forwarding data representing a result of a reading obtained by the method of  claim 26 .  
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the data is communicated to a remote location.  
     
     
         29 . A method comprising receiving data representing a result of a reading obtained by the method of  claim 26 .  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for fabricating an array having multiple biopolymer features on a substrate, comprising: 
 a substrate holder on which the substrate can be mounted;    a deposition head system which deposits drops onto a mounted substrate while being spaced therefrom;    a transporter system to move the deposition head system with respect to a mounted substrate;    a processor which controls the deposition head system and transporter system so as to fabricate the array with elongated features having lengths oriented in a common direction and a length/width ratio greater than 1.3.    
     
     
         31 . An apparatus according to  claim 30  wherein the head system has multiple pulse jets and the processor controls the deposition head system and transporter system such that multiple drops for a feature are deposited from different same pulse jets while the head system is moved with respect to the substrate.  
     
     
         32 . An apparatus according to  claim 32  wherein the processor controls the deposition head system and transporter system so that the elongated features have a length/width ratio greater than 1.5.  
     
     
         33 . An apparatus according to  claim 31  wherein the processor control the deposition head system and transporter system so that the elongated features have a length/width ratio greater than 3.  
     
     
         34 . A computer program product For use with an apparatus for fabricating an array having multiple biopolymer features on a substrate, the program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon which controls the apparatus to performs the method of:  
       (a) for each of multiple features, depositing multiple drops at least some of which carry the biopolymer or a biopolymer precursor, onto the substrate from a drop deposition head system of the apparatus while the head system is spaced from the substrate; and  
       (b) moving the head system with respect to the substrate; 
 so as to fabricate the array with elongated features having lengths oriented in a common direction and a length/width ratio greater than 1.3.  
 
     
     
         35 . A computer program product according to  claim 34  wherein the program controls the apparatus so as to fabricate the array with the elongated features having a length/width ratio greater than 1.5.  
     
     
         36 . A computer program product according to  claim 34  wherein the program controls the transporter system and multiple pulse jets of a deposition head system such that multiple drops for a feature arc deposited from different pulse jets while the head system is moved with respect to the substrate.