US 6,958,131 B2Granted

Optical sensor and optical process for the characterization of a chemical and/or bio-chemical substance

AssigneeArtificial Sensing Instruments ASI AG

InventorKurt Tiefenthaler

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The optical sensor contains an optical waveguide (1) with a substrate (104), waveguiding material (105), a cover medium (106) and a waveguide grating structure (101-103). By means of a light source (2), light can be emitted to the waveguide grating structure (101-103) from the substrate side and/or from the cover medium side. (101-103). With means of detection (11), at least two differing light proportions (7-10) radiated from the waveguide (1) can be detected. For carrying out a measurement, the waveguide can be immovably fixed relative to the light source (2) and the means of detection (11). The waveguide grating structure (101-103) itself consists of one or several waveguide grating structure units (101-103), which if so required can be equipped with (bio-)chemo-sensitive layers. The sensor permits the generation of absolute measuring signals.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A sensor chip for being used in an optical sensor for the characterization or detection or detection and characterization of at least one chemical or bio-chemical or chemical and bio-chemical substance, comprising

a waveguide comprising a substrate and waveguiding material provided thereon, the substrate defining a substrate side of the waveguiding material, a side of the waveguiding material opposed to the substrate side being a cover medium side,
and a waveguide grating structure comprising at least one waveguide grating structure unit,
wherein the waveguide and the waveguide grating structure are operable to emit light proportions towards the substrate side or the cover medium side or the substrate side and the cover medium side when light impinges on the waveguide grating structure,
wherein the waveguide grating structure unit comprises at least two sensing pads, each comprising at least one unidiffractive or multidiffractive grating and a bio-chemosensitive or chemosensitive or bio-chemosensitive and chemosensitive substance,
and wherein at least one of the following two conditions holds:
(a) the lightwaves guided in the two sensing pads differ in at least one of their polarization, of their mode number and of their wavelength
(b) the bio-chemosensitive or chemosensitive or bio-chemosensitive and chemosensitive substances show different specificities or the bio-chemosensitive or chemosensitive or bio-chemosensitive and chemosensitive substance of one sensing pad shows no specificity.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/710,609Filed 23 Jul 2004 · continuation
Priority: CH 2127/9710 Sep 1997
Published: US 2004/0247486 A19 Dec 2004
Granted: 25 Oct 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G01N 21/648
Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters: using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence
G01N 21/552
Specular reflectivity: attenuated total reflection
G01N 21/7743
The reagent being on a grating or periodic structure: the reagent-coated grating coupling light in or out of the waveguide
Y10S 436/805
Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing: optical property

Family

Application09/508,384Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Jun 2000
Application10/065,152Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Sep 2002
US 6,455,004 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Sep 2002
US 2004/0247486 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 Dec 2004
US 6,787,110 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2003/0007896 A1Published application
US 6,958,131 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.