The assay plate includes a substrate having an substrate surface and at least
one raised pad extending from the substrate surface. The raised pad includes a
substantially planar sample receiving surface configured for holding a sample thereon
for in-situ experimentation. The sample receiving surface preferably has at least
one sharp edge at the junction between a sidewall coupling the sample receiving
surface to the substrate surface. The sample receiving surface is preferably a
circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, or octagon shape
that is sized to hold a predetermined volume of the sample. A method of using the
above described assay plate is also provided. Once a raised pad extending from
a substrate is formed, a sample is deposited on the raised pad. Experiments are
subsequently performed using the sample on the raised pad.
