# US 2013/0280796 A1 · Porous membrane waveguide sensors and sensing systems therefrom for detecting biological or chemical targets

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- Number: US 2013/0280796 A1
- Document ID: US20130280796A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/920,146
- Filed: 2013-06-18
- Published: 2013-10-24
- Earliest claimed: 2008-10-17
- Assignees: Vanderbilt University
- Inventors: Guoguang Rong; Sharon M. Weiss; Raymond L. Mernaugh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130280796A1

## CPC

- G01N 21/55: Specular reflectivity
- B82Y 15/00: Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
- G01N 21/552: Attenuated total reflection
- G01N 21/7743: {the reagent-coated grating coupling light in or out of the waveguide}
- G02B 6/1225: {comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices}
- 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)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A sensor for sensing at least one biological target or chemical target is provided. The sensor includes a membrane includes a membrane material that supports generation and propagation of at least one waveguide mode, where the membrane material includes a plurality of voids having an average size <2 microns. The sensor also includes at least one receptor having structure for binding to the target within the plurality of voids, and an optical coupler for coupling light to the membrane sufficient to generate the waveguide mode in the membrane from photons incident on the optical coupler.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-12. (canceled)

### Claim 13

A sensor chip, comprising:
a support layer comprising an optically transparent support material;
a membrane consisting essentially of a single layer of porous material on said support that supports generation and propagation of at least one waveguide mode, said single layer of porous material comprising a plurality of voids having an average size <2 microns;
at least one receptor having structure for binding to at least one biological target or chemical target within said plurality of voids, and
a cladding interposed between said optically transparent support material and said membrane, the cladding having an index of refraction lower than polyvinyl formal.

### Claim 14

(canceled)

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The sensor chip of claim 13, wherein said waveguide mode is at least one of a guided mode and a leaky mode.

### Claim at position 5

16-20. (canceled)

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The sensor chip of claim 13, wherein said plurality of voids have an average size <0.5 microns.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The sensor chip of claim 13, wherein said membrane material comprises silicon.

### Claim 24 (depends on 13)

The sensor chip of claim 13, wherein said membrane material comprises at least one of a metal, a polymer, and a semiconductor.

### Claim 25 (depends on 13)

The sensor chip of claim 13, wherein said cladding comprises an air gap.

### Claim 26 (depends on 13)

The sensor chip of claim 13, wherein said receptor comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a chemical receptor, a bioreceptor, an aptamer, a darpin, a polymer, a biopolymer, a molecular imprint polymer, a biomimetic, an antibody or fragment thereof, an enzyme, a cell receptor, a molecular print assay, and a nucleic acid, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 27 (depends on 13)

The sensor chip of claim 13, wherein said membrane supports generation and propagation of only one mode in a wavelength range from 1 to 3 microns.

### Claim 28

A sensor for sensing at least one biological target or chemical target, comprising:
a membrane consisting essentially of a single layer of porous material that supports generation and propagation of at least one waveguide mode, said single layer of porous material comprising a plurality of voids having an average size <2 microns;
at least one receptor having structure for binding to said at least one of said biological target or said chemical target within said plurality of voids;
an optical coupler for coupling light to said membrane sufficient to generate said waveguide mode in said membrane from photons incident on said optical coupler, the optical coupler selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating; and
a cladding separating the membrane and the optical coupler, the cladding having an index of refraction lower than polyvinyl formal.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The sensor of claim 28, wherein said plurality of voids have an average size <0.5 microns.

### Claim 30 (depends on 28)

The sensor of claim 28, wherein said membrane material comprises at least one of a metal, a polymer, and a semiconductor.

### Claim 31 (depends on 28)

The sensor of claim 28, wherein said cladding comprises an air gap.

### Claim 32 (depends on 28)

The sensor of claim 28, wherein said receptor comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a chemical receptor, a bioreceptor, an aptamer, a darpin, a polymer, a biopolymer, a molecular imprint polymer, a biomimetic, an antibody or fragment thereof, an enzyme, a cell receptor, a molecular print assay, and a nucleic acid, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 33 (depends on 28)

The sensor of claim 28, wherein said membrane supports generation and propagation of only one mode in a wavelength range from 1 to 3 microns.

### Claim 34 (depends on 28)

The sensor of claim 28, wherein said waveguide mode is at least one of a guided mode and a leaky mode.

### Claim 35

A sensing system, comprising:
a sensor for sensing at least one biological target or chemical target comprising a substrate support layer and a membrane consisting essentially of a single layer of porous material that supports generation and propagation of at least one waveguide mode on said support layer, said single layer of porous material comprising a plurality of voids having an average size <2 microns, and at least one receptor having structure for binding to said at least one biological target or chemical target within said plurality of voids;
an optical block operable for coupling light to said membrane sufficiently to generate said waveguide mode in said membrane from photons propagating in said optical coupler, the optical coupler selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating,
a cladding separating the membrane and the optical coupler, the cladding having an index of refraction lower than polyvinyl formal,
a light source for providing said photons, and
a light detector for detecting said photons that are reflected by said optical block.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The system of claim 35, wherein said substrate support layer and said single layer of porous material both comprise silicon.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The system of claim 35, wherein an optical path for said photons in said optical block to couple to said membrane is exclusive of said substrate support layer.

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The system of claim 35, wherein an optical path for said photons in said optical block to couple to said membrane is inclusive of said substrate support layer.

### Claim 39 (depends on 35)

The sensor of claim 35, wherein said waveguide mode is at least one of a guided mode and a leaky mode.