US 12,287,285 B2Granted

Hollow waveguide for gas detection

AssigneeNederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO

InventorsArjen Boersma, Javier Nunez Villanueva, Evert Jonathan Van Den Ham

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A sensor system, the manufacturing of such system, and the use of such system for optical detection of a target analyte in a gaseous medium are described. The sensor system includes a hollow waveguide that is provided with a reflective mirror layer along its inner wall and a concentrating coating of an inorganic sorption material. The mirror layer defines a light path for guiding light between a light inlet and a light outlet that are provided on opposing terminal ends of the hollow waveguide. The concentrating coating increases an effective concentration of target analytes, if present, and allows optical, preferably spectroscopic, analysis of the medium by recording transmission of light, preferably infrared light, guided through the hollow waveguide.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A sensor system for spectroscopic detection of a target analyte in a gaseous medium, the sensor system comprising a hollow waveguide having an elongate interior space defining a gas flow path that is confined by an inner wall of the hollow waveguide, the hollow waveguide comprising:

a reflective mirror layer that is provided along the inner wall of the hollow waveguide, forming a light path for guiding light from a source though the elongate interior space between a light inlet that is provided on one terminal end of the hollow waveguide and a light outlet that is provided on an opposing terminal end of the hollow waveguide;
a concentrating coating of an inorganic sorption material that is provided onto at least a part of the reflective mirror layer, wherein at least a portion of the concentrating coating overlaps with the light path;
an infrared light source for generating light coupled to the light inlet;
and
an infrared light detector coupled to the light outlet arranged to record a transmittance spectrum of the light guided through the hollow waveguide,
wherein the reflective mirror layer is a silver layer, and
wherein the sensor system further comprises:
a silver halide layer between the reflective mirror layer and the concentrating coating;
and
an interlayer essentially consisting of oxides of one or more of the group consisting of:
aluminum, chromium, zinc, titanium, and silicon;
wherein the interlayer is between the silver halide layer and the concentrating coating.

9 more elements

A method of manufacturing a sensor system for spectroscopic detection of a target analyte in a gaseous medium, the sensor system comprising a hollow waveguide having an elongate interior space defining a gas flow path that is confined by an inner wall of the hollow waveguide, the hollow waveguide comprising:

a reflective mirror layer that is provided along the inner wall of the hollow waveguide, forming a light path for guiding light from a source though the elongate interior space between a light inlet that is provided on one terminal end of the hollow waveguide and a light outlet that is provided on an opposing terminal end of the hollow waveguide;
a concentrating coating of an inorganic sorption material that is provided onto at least a part of the reflective mirror layer, wherein at least a portion of the concentrating coating overlaps with the light path;
an infrared light source for generating light coupled to the light inlet;
and
an infrared light detector coupled to the light outlet arranged to record a transmittance spectrum of the light guided through the hollow waveguide
wherein the method of manufacturing comprises:
providing the hollow waveguide;
depositing the reflective mirror layer along the inner wall of the hollow waveguide;
and
depositing inorganic sorption material to form the concentrating coating along the reflective mirror layer,
wherein the reflective mirror layer is a silver layer, and
wherein the method further comprises:
depositing a silver halide layer between the reflective mirror layer and the concentrating coating;
and
depositing, prior to depositing the inorganic sorption material, an interlayer essentially consisting of oxides of one or more of the group consisting of:
aluminum, chromium, zinc, titanium, and silicon;
wherein the interlayer is between the silver halide layer and the concentrating coating.

14 more elements

A method of performing spectroscopic detection of a target analyte in a gaseous medium, wherein the method comprises use of a sensor system for spectroscopic detection of a target analyte in a gaseous medium, the sensor system comprising a hollow waveguide having an elongate interior space defining a gas flow path that is confined by an inner wall of the hollow waveguide, the hollow waveguide comprising:

a reflective mirror layer that is provided along the inner wall of the hollow waveguide, forming a light path for guiding light from a source though the elongate interior space between a light inlet that is provided on one terminal end of the hollow waveguide and a light outlet that is provided on an opposing terminal end of the hollow waveguide;
a concentrating coating of an inorganic sorption material that is provided onto at least a part of the reflective mirror layer, wherein at least a portion of the concentrating coating overlaps with the light path;
an infrared light source for generating light coupled to the light inlet;
and
an infrared light detector coupled to the light outlet arranged to record a transmittance spectrum of the light guided through the hollow waveguide,
wherein the reflective mirror layer is a silver layer, and
wherein the sensor system further comprises:
a silver halide layer between the reflective mirror layer and the concentrating coating;
and
an interlayer essentially consisting of oxides of one or more of the group consisting of:
aluminum, chromium, zinc, titanium, and silicon;
wherein the interlayer is between the silver halide layer and the concentrating coating.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.