Organic vapor detection with liquid crystals

Abstract

A device for detecting organic vapors comprising (a) an elongated waveguide having on the surface thereof a sufficient amount of liquid crystal material sensitive to organic vapor to measurably change the light transmitting capability of said waveguide upon contacting said waveguide with said vapor, (b) a light source positioned to transmit light lengthwise through said waveguide, and (c) means for measuring the light exiting from said waveguide. The device is useful in a method for measuring organic vapors comprising the steps of (a) exposing said waveguide to a gas which may contain organic vapor to which said liquid crystals are sensitive, and (b) transmitting light through said waveguide, and (c) detecting the light transmitted in step (b) as a measure of said organic vapor. Waveguides of the device are separately claimed as a subcombination.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.