# US 11,307,194 B2 · Systems and methods for analyzing liquids

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- Number: US 11,307,194 B2
- Document ID: US11307194B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/311,216
- Filed: 2015-05-18
- Published: 2017-03-23
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2014-05-19
- Assignees: University of South Florida
- Applicants: University of South Florida
- Inventors: Anna Pyayt; Edikan Archibong; Harry Tuazon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307194B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/49: Blood {(chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80)}
- A61B 5/1455: using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
- A61B 5/14552: {Details of sensors specially adapted therefor}
- A61B 5/4244: {liver}
- B01L 3/502707: {characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components}
- B01L 3/502715: {characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces}
- G01N 21/39: using tunable lasers
- G02B 6/3628: {for mounting fibres to supporting carriers (G02B6/3608, G02B6/3616 take precedence)}
- B01D 63/005: {Microfluidic devices (Microfluidic devices comprising semi-permeable hollow fibre membranes B01D63/028; Microfluidic devices comprising semi-permeable flat membranes B01D63/088)}
- B01L 2300/0654: Lenses; Optical fibres
- B01L 2300/0681: Filter
- B01L 2300/168: Specific optical properties, e.g. reflective coatings
- G01N 2201/06113: Coherent sources; lasers
- G01N 2201/0846: Fibre interface with sample, e.g. for spatial resolution
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

In one embodiment, an optical spectroscopy probe includes an optical fiber having a distal tip and a microfluidic filtering chamber attached to the distal tip of the optical fiber, the chamber comprising a microfluidic membrane adapted to enable liquid to enter the chamber but prevent particles from entering the chamber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical spectroscopy probe comprising:
an optical fiber having a distal tip; and
a microfluidic filtering chamber,
wherein the microfluidic filtering chamber is defined by sidewalls defined in a silicon substrate and silicon nitride thin-films capping the side walls and forming a top and a bottom of the microfluidic filtering chamber, the side walls and the silicon nitride thin-films enclosing a hollow inner space of the chamber configured to receive a liquid to be analyzed,
wherein at least one of the silicon nitride thin-films comprises a plurality of pores that allow liquid to enter the hollow inner space but prevent particles larger than the pores from entering the hollow inner space,
wherein the silicon nitride thin-films include a proximal thin-film that is in contact with the optical fiber and a distal thin-film that is distant from the optical fiber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, wherein distal thin-film comprises the plurality of pores.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, wherein the pores are approximately 1 μm to 10 μm in diameter or width.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, wherein the distal thin-film is reflective so as to reflect light emitted from the distal tip of the optical fiber back to the optical fiber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The probe of claim 4, wherein an outer surface of the distal thin-film is coated with a reflective metal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, wherein the proximal thin-film comprises the plurality of pores.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, wherein the proximal thin-film comprises an opening adapted to receive the distal tip of the optical fiber.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, wherein the side walls and the silicon nitride thin-films together form a rectangular box that defines the hollow inner space.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The probe of claim 1, wherein the silicon substrate is approximately 100 μm to 1000 μm thick.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The probe of claim 9, wherein the silicon nitride thin-films are approximately 0.3 μm to 3 μm thick.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The probe of claim 10, wherein the silicon substrate and the silicon nitride thin-films are approximately 100 μm to 3000 μm in length and width.

### Claim 12

An optical spectroscopy probe comprising:
an optical fiber having a distal tip; and
a microfluidic filtering chamber comprising a proximal thin-film layer that is in contact with the distal tip of the fiber and that is made of silicon nitride, a distal thin-film layer made of silicon nitride, and one or more side walls that are made of silicon and that extend between and are limited in extent by the proximal thin-film layer and the distal thin-film layer,
wherein the proximal thin-film layer, distal thin-film layer, and said one or more side walls define and enclose a hollow inner space of the chamber configured to receive a liquid to be analyzed,
wherein the proximal thin-film layer has an opening in which the distal tip of the optical fiber is received,
wherein at least one of the proximal thin-film layer, and the distal thin-film layer, comprises a plurality of pores that allow the liquid to enter the hollow inner space but prevent particles larger than the pores from entering the hollow inner space.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The probe of claim 12, wherein the distal thin-film layer is reflective so as to reflect light emitted from the distal tip of the optical fiber back to the optical fiber.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The probe of claim 13, wherein an outer surface of the distal thin-film layer is coated with a reflective metal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The probe of claim 12, wherein the pores are approximately 1 μm to 10 μm in diameter or width.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The probe of claim 12, wherein the proximal wall and the distal wall are each approximately 0.3 μm to 3 μm thick.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The probe of claim 12, wherein the one or more side walls are each approximately 100 μm to 500 μm thick.

### Claim 18 (depends on 2)

The probe of claim 2, wherein the distal thin-film includes a layer of gold.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The probe of claim 12, wherein the distal thin-film layer includes a layer of gold.