Reflection from an Array of Conducting Plates Using Classic Edge-Mode Current Densities

A new reflection coefficient is derived for a frequency-selective surface composed of conducting rectangular plates. The current density induced on the plates is assumed to follow the classic edge-mode behavior observed by Meixner. Using very simple functions to describe the spatial dependence of the current, a simple frequency-dependent solution is derived. This solution is a function of the 0th- and 1st-order Bessel functions of the first kind. The new approach provides very accurate results compared to the moment method and to measured data. It also provides an analytic solution that demonstrates a cause-and-effect correspondence between the array geometry and performance     

Detecting biomolecules in picoliter vials using aequorin bioluminescence

The quantitative determination of proteins in picoliter-volume vials is described. The assay is based on the bioluminescence of the photoprotein aequorin along with photon-counting detection. Using this approach, avidin can be detected at femtomole levels by taking advantage of its inhibitory effect on the bioluminescence signal generated by biotinylated recombinant aequorin. The picoliter vials were fabricated on glass substrates using a laser ablation technique. Parameters that affect the reproducibility of the assay such as the fabrication and calibration of the pipets, the fabrication of the vials, and the composition of the assay solutions were studied.