# US 11,442,017 B2 · Solid inspection apparatus and method of use

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- Number: US 11,442,017 B2
- Document ID: US11442017B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/949,572
- Filed: 2020-11-04
- Published: 2021-02-25
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-07
- Assignees: Illumina, Inc.
- Applicants: Illumina, Inc.
- Inventors: John Gerhardt Earney; Joseph Francis Pinto; M. Shane Bowen; Michael S. Graige; Arthur Pitera; Bala Murali K. Venkatesan; Dajun Yuan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442017B2

## CPC

- G01N 21/6456: {Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging}
- G01J 3/0289: {Field-of-view determination; Aiming or pointing of a spectrometer; Adjusting alignment; Encoding angular position; Size of measurement area; Position tracking}
- G01J 3/18: using diffraction elements, e.g. grating (gratings per se G02B)
- G01J 3/4406: {Fluorescence spectrometry}
- G01N 21/278: {Constitution of standards}
- G01N 21/643: {non-biological material}
- G01N 21/6489: {Photoluminescence of semiconductors}
- G01J 2003/1861: {Transmission gratings}
- G01N 2021/6419: {Excitation at two or more wavelengths}
- G01N 2201/0227: Sealable enclosure
- G01N 2201/0245: with insertable-removable part
- G01N 2201/127: Calibration; base line adjustment; drift compensation
- 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)
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)

## Abstract

An inspection apparatus is provided that comprises an optical target including a solid host material and a fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material. The solid host material has a predetermined phonon energy HOSTPE. The fluorescing material exhibits a select ground energy level and a target excitation (TE) energy level separated from the ground energy level by a first energy gap corresponding to a fluorescence emission wavelength of interest. The fluorescing material has a next lower lying (NLL) energy level relative to the TE energy level. The NLL energy level is spaced a second energy gap FMEG2 below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE is three or more.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical detection device, comprising:
an optical target including a solid body that encloses a fluorescing material and a grating layer over the solid body;
an objective to direct excitation light toward the grating layer and to receive fluorescence emission from the solid body through the grating layer;
a driver to move the objective to a region of interest proximate to the optical target;
memory to store program instructions; and
a processor to execute the program instructions for detecting fluorescence emission from the optical target in connection with at least one of optical alignment or calibration of an instrument:
wherein the solid body includes a solid host material and the fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material, the solid host material having a predetermined photon energy (HOSTpe), the fluorescing material exhibiting a select ground energy level, a target excitation (TE) energy level, and a next lower lying (NLL) energy level spaced an energy gap (FMecz2) below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMec2/HOSTre is three or more.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the objective directs excitation light onto the optical target, the processor is to derive reference information from the fluorescence emission, the processor is to utilize the reference information in connection with the at least one of optical alignment or calibration of the instrument.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the optical target is permanently mounted at a calibration location proximate to the objective, the calibration location being separate from flow cell channels within the instrument.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the solid body represents a substrate comprising a solid host material doped with one or more ions that form the fluorescing material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the solid body represents at least one of an epoxy or polymer that encloses quantum dots that emit fluorescence in one or more predetermined emission bands of interest when irradiated by the excitation light.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising an anti-reflective coating formed on the optical target.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE equals or is between four and ten.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the solid host material includes at least one of glass, amorphous polymers, crystalline materials, semi-crystalline polymers, metallic glass, or ceramic.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the fluorescing material has a fluorescence emission wavelength with a center wavelength at or below about 1000 nm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the solid host material has a maximum phonon energy less than or equal to 580 cm−1.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the grating layer comprises microstructures formed on a surface of the optical target.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the grating layer is separated from the optical target by a fringe gap.

### Claim 13

An optical detection device, comprising:
an optical target including a solid body that encloses a fluorescing material in a plurality of tiles over the solid body, a first tile of the plurality of tiles comprising a centering fiducial and a second tile of the plurality of tiles comprising a clear tile for use with an illumination uniformity operation;
an objective to direct excitation light toward the plurality of tiles and to receive fluorescence emission from the solid body through the tiles;
a driver to move the objective to a region of interest proximate to the optical target;
memory to store program instructions; and
a processor to execute the program instructions for detecting fluorescence emission from the optical target in connection with at least one of optical alignment or calibration of an instrument:
wherein the solid body includes a solid host material and the fluorescing material embedded in the solid host material, the solid host material having a predetermined photon energy (HOSTpe), the fluorescing material exhibiting a select ground energy level, a target excitation (TE) energy level, and a next lower lying (NLL) energy level spaced an energy gap (FMecz2) below the TE energy level, wherein a ratio of the FMec2/HOSTre is three or more.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the objective directs excitation light onto the optical target, the processor is to derive reference information from the fluorescence emission, the processor is to utilize the reference information in connection with the at least one of optical alignment or calibration of the instrument.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the optical target is permanently mounted at a calibration location proximate to the objective, the calibration location being separate from flow cell channels within the instrument.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the solid body represents a substrate comprising a solid host material doped with one or more ions that form the fluorescing material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the solid body represents at least one of an epoxy or polymer that encloses quantum dots that emit fluorescence in one or more predetermined emission bands of interest when irradiated by the excitation light.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, further comprising an anti-reflective coating formed on the optical target.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the ratio of the FMEG2/HOSTPE equals or is between four and ten.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the solid host material includes at least one of glass, amorphous polymers, crystalline materials, semi-crystalline polymers, metallic glass, or ceramic.