US 7,633,629 B2Granted

Tuning optical cavities

AssigneePalo Alto Research Center Incorporated

InventorsPeter Kiesel, Oliver Schmidt, Michael Bassler, Uma Srinivasan

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Abstract

A tunable optical cavity can be tuned by relative movement between two reflection surfaces, such as by deforming elastomer spacers connected between mirrors or other light-reflective components that include the reflection surfaces. The optical cavity structure includes an analyte region in its light-transmissive region, and presence of analyte in the analyte region affects output light when the optical cavity is tuned to a set of positions. Electrodes that cause deformation of the spacers can also be used to capacitively sense the distance between them. Control circuitry that provides tuning signals can cause continuous movement across a range of positions, allowing continuous photosensing of analyte-affected output light by a detector.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An optical cavity device comprising:

first and second light-reflective components with a light-transmissive region between them, each of the light-reflective components being structured to reflect light into the light-transmissive region;
a tuning structure that is structured to respond to tuning signals by moving the first and second light-reflective components among a set of positions relative to each other;
the tuning structure including:
one or more deformable components connected so that deformation of at least one of the deformable components causes the first and second light-reflective components to move within the set of positions;
and
at least one signal-responsive component that receives the tuning signals and, in response, causes deformation of at least one of the deformable components;
the light-transmissive region including an analyte region, the analyte region being bounded in part by at least one of the deformable components;
and
a fluidic component that, in operation, provides an analyte in the analyte region;
the set of positions including a subset of one or more positions in which the first and second light-reflective components and the light-transmissive region with analyte from the fluidic component in the analyte region are configured to operate as an optical cavity that provides analyte-affected output light, the analyte-affected output light including information about one or more optical characteristics of the analyte.

7 more elements

An optical cavity device comprising:

first and second structures that include first and second light-reflective components, respectively;
between the first and second light-reflective components, an in homogeneous optical cavity;
each of the light-reflective components being structured to reflect light into the inhomogeneous optical cavity;
connected to the first and second structures, a set of one or more tuning structures that are structured to move the first and second structures among a set of positions relative to each other;
at least one of the tuning structures in the set including:
first and second electrodes connected to the first and second structures, respectively, the first and second electrodes being connectible to receive electrical tuning signals;
and
a respective deformable component between the first and second electrodes;
the deformable component being deformable in response to the electrical tuning signals received by the first and second electrodes the deformable component being connected so that deformation of the deformable component causes the first and second structures to move within the set of positions;
an analyte region within the inhomogeneous optical cavity, the analyte region being bounded in part by the respective deformable component of at least one of the tuning structures;
and
a fluidic component that, in operation, provides an analyte in the analyte region;
the optical cavity device being structured so that, in a subset of one or more positions in the set of positions, presence of the analyte in the analyte region affects the inhomogeneous optical cavity's output light and the output light includes information about one or more optical characteristics of the analyte.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/702,321Filed 5 Feb 2007
Published: US 2008/0186508 A17 Aug 2008
Granted: 15 Dec 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G01J 3/26
Generating the spectrum; Monochromators: using multiple reflection, e.g. Fabry-Perot interferometer, variable interference filters
G01N 21/45
Refractivity; Phase-affecting properties, e.g. optical path length: using interferometric methods; using Schlieren methods
G01N 2021/451
Using interferometric methods; using Schlieren methods: for determining the optical absorption
G02B 26/001
Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements: based on interference in an adjustable…