# US 2010/0166359 A1 · Optical waveguide mode sensor having pores > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0166359 A1 - Document ID: US20100166359A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/438,050 - Filed: 2007-06-05 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2006-08-21 - Assignees: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology - Inventors: Makoto Fujimaki; Koichi Awazu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166359A1 ## CPC - G01N 21/552: Attenuated total reflection - 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) ## Abstract A chip is constituted from a transparent substrate, a reflector film formed on the transparent substrate and an optical waveguide layer formed on the reflector film, and a plurality of pores is formed in the optical waveguide layer. A light-introducing mechanism that introduces light from the transparent substrate of the chip onto the reflector film, and a light-detecting mechanism that detects the light reflected on the reflector film are provided. A specimen under investigation is detected by sensing a change in the incidence angle or in the intensity of reflected light that occurs when the specimen is adsorbed or deposits on the surface of the optical waveguide layer, by using a range of incidence angles of the light in which the intensity of reflected light changes when a part or all of the incident light couples with the optical waveguide mode that propagates in the optical waveguide layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A optical waveguide mode sensor comprising: a chip provided with a substrate formed from a transparent dielectric material or a transparent electrically-conductive material, a reflector film formed on the substrate, and an optical waveguide layer formed on the reflector film; a plurality of pores formed in the optical waveguide layer so as to penetrate the optical waveguide layer; a light-introducing mechanism that introduces light from the substrate side of the chip onto the reflector film; and a light-detecting mechanism that detects the light reflected on the reflector film; wherein a specimen under investigation is detected by sensing a change in the incidence angle or in an intensity of reflected light that occurs when the specimen is adsorbed or deposits on a surface of the optical waveguide layer, by using a range of incidence angles of the light in which the intensity of reflected light changes when a part or all of the incident light couples with the optical waveguide mode that propagates in the optical waveguide layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide layer has a thickness in a range from 60 nm to 1 μm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein the pores are formed such that the total area of the inner wall surfaces of the pores, or the increase in surface area caused by forming the pores, is in a range not less than 0.1 cm2 and not larger than 280 cm2 per 1 cm2 of the optical waveguide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the pores is smaller than the wavelength of the light. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide is a film formed mainly from a silicon oxide, a film formed mainly from a titanium oxide, a film formed mainly from an organic material, a film formed mainly from glass, a film formed mainly from a polymer, or a film formed mainly from a transparent electrically-conductive material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein the pores are formed by chemical etching after implanting ions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 6, wherein the chemical etching is an etching process by means of a hydrofluoric acid solution or a vapor of hydrofluoric acid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) he optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein the reflector film is a thin film of one or more components selected from among the metals of Groups 4 to 14 of the Periodic Table and alloys of these metals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according claim 1, wherein the reflector film is a thin film of a semiconductor material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide layer has a thickness that causes the optical waveguide mode to develop. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein a molecular recognition group is chemically modified on the surface of the optical waveguide layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 11, wherein any one of an amino group, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an aldehyde group, an isothiocyanate group, a succinimide group, a biotinyl group, a methyl group and a fluoromethyl group is chemically modified as the molecular recognition group. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein the incident light is p-polarized or s-polarized light, and reflection of this light is detected. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein the substrate has a plate configuration. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the substrate opposite to a side where the optical waveguide layer of the chip is formed is put into contact with an optical prism via a refractive index matching oil. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a prism. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 15, wherein when p-polarized or s-polarized light enters the optical prism at an incidence angle with respect to a center axis of the prism, the incidence angle of the light is fixed proximate to the incidence angle at which the intensity of reflected light changes, and the intensity of reflected light is measured. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 11, wherein measurement is made on a film thickness, a weight, a size or a relative dielectric constant of a molecule, an ion or a cluster of molecules that is selectively adsorbed by or chemically bonds with a molecular recognition group that is chemically modified on the surface of the optical waveguide layer, in a gas or liquid. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An optical waveguide mode sensor chip used in the optical waveguide mode sensor according to claim 1.