Optical sensor for detecting a chemical species
AssigneeCsem Centre Suisse D'Electronique Et De Microtechnique SA—Recherche Et DéVeloppement
InventorsEmmanuel Scolan, Bernard Wenger, Raphael Pugin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical sensor (1) for detecting a chemical species includes a substrate (3), a mesoporous matrix (5) disposed on the substrate, and a microporous matrix (7) disposed within the mesoporous matrix. The microporous matrix (7) includes an indicator dye (9) dispersed therein, the indicator dye (9) exhibiting changes in its optical properties in response to the presence of the chemical species. This arrangement significantly increases the amount of dye present, while allowing the medium to be analyzed greater access through the porous structure, thereby increasing the performance of the sensor.
Claims15
An optical sensing layer (1) for detecting a chemical species, said layer comprising:
- a substrate (3);
- a mesoporous matrix (5) disposed on the substrate;
- a microporous matrix (7) disposed within the mesoporous matrix, the microporous matrix (7) comprising an indicator dye (9) dispersed therein, said indicator dye (9) exhibiting changes in optical properties in response to the presence of said chemical species, wherein,
- the mesoporous matrix (5) is a layer having a thickness of 1-50 μm, the mesoporous matrix (5) comprising pore of diameters in the range of between 10 nm and 50 nm,
- the microporous matrix (7) is a layer having a thickness of less than 100 nm, the microporous matrix (7) comprising pore of diameters of less than 2 nm, and
- the pores of the mesoporous matrix are coated with the microporous matrix disposed within the mesoporous matrix.
A method of producing an optical sensing layer (1) comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate (3);
- depositing a mesoporous matrix (5) on the substrate;
- subsequent to said step of depositing a mesoporous matrix (5) on the substrate, depositing a microporous matrix (7) within the mesoporous matrix (5), the microporous matrix (7) comprising an indicator dye (9) dispersed therein, said indicator dye (9) exhibiting changes in optical properties in response to the presence of said chemical species, wherein,
- the mesoporous matrix (5) is deposited as a layer having a thickness of 1-50 μm, and the mesoporous matrix (5) having pores with diameters in the range of between 10 nm and 50 nm,
- the microporous matrix (7) is deposited as a layer having a thickness of less than 100 nm, the microporous matrix (7) comprising pore of diameters of less than 2 nm, and
- the pores of the mesoporous matrix are coated with the microporous matrix disposed within the mesoporous matrix.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.