High sensitivity sensor device and manufacturing thereof

A nano-chip comprising:

• at least one transmitting element having a core, an input end and an output end;
• at least one substrate, wherein the at least one transmitting element is located within the substrate and the substrate further comprising;
• a dielectric system surrounding the transmitting element along at least two sides thereof, said dielectric system further including;
• a lattice comprised of a periodic arrangement of one selected from a group consisting of dielectric rods, and air holes disposed in a dielectric material, such that the dielectric system exhibits a photonic-band-gap,
• wherein the transmitting element core having a different refractive index than the surrounding dielectric system, forms a waveguide;
• and
• one or more predetermined receptors, placed within the dielectric system in a location that is one selected from a group consisting of spaces between said dielectric rods and spaces inside the air holes, respectively,
• wherein the one or more predetermined receptors are disposed for absorbing one or more agents that is one selected from a group consisting of chemical agents, biological agents and biological cells,
• wherein at least a first optical signal from a light source transmitted between the input and output ends of the transmitting element core before said one or more agents are absorbed, exhibits no substantial loss in optical signal power, and
• at least a second optical signal transmitted through the transmitting element core between the input and the output ends after absorbing the one or more agents exhibits a loss in optical signal power resulting from a change in the difference between the refractive indices of the transmitting element core and the dielectric system effected through the change in the refractive index of the dielectric system;
• at least one detector;
• and
• at least one processing circuit further including,
• a signal integration unit,
• a filter and sampling unit,
• a read out unit,
• and a monitoring unit,
• such that said detector detects and converts the first and second optical signals to corresponding first and second electrical signals, and
• the processing unit upon receiving the first and second electrical signals, integrates the respective first and second electrical signals over a predetermined time period thereby, respectively generating amplified first and second signals, filters signal noise, and generates corresponding first and second digital samples from the first and second amplified signals, respectively,
• calculates a power factor from the first and second amplified signals, identifies the absorbed one or more agents according to the predetermined receptor type, correlates the calculated power factor to the density and molecular weight of the absorbed one or more agents stored in the read out unit, to determine concentration of the absorbed agents, and
• displays data which is also available for remote monitoring.

A sensing apparatus comprising:

• a first unit including:
• at least one light source;
• at least one detector;
• at least one integrated circuit in electrical communication with the detector, said integrated circuit including:
• at least one processing circuit further having;
• a signal integration unit,
• a filter and sampling unit,
• a read out unit,
• and at least one digital monitoring system;
• and
• a second unit optically coupled to the first unit, wherein the first unit couples light from the light source in to the second unit, said second unit including:
• one or more nano-chips, each nano-chip further including;
• at least one transmitting element having a core, an input end and an output end;
• at least one substrate, wherein the at least one transmitting element is located within the substrate and the substrate further including;
• a dielectric system surrounding the transmitting element along at least two sides thereof, said dielectric system further including;
• a lattice comprised of a periodic arrangement of one selected from
• a group consisting of dielectric rods, and air holes disposed in a dielectric material, such that the dielectric system exhibits a photonic-band-gap,
• wherein the transmitting element core having a different refractive index than the dielectric system, forms a waveguide;
• and
• one or more predetermined receptors, placed within the dielectric system in a location that is one selected from a group consisting of spaces between said dielectric rods and spaces inside of said holes, respectively,
• wherein the one or more predetermined receptors are disposed for absorbing one or more agents that are one selected from a group consisting of chemical agents, biological agents and biological cells, and
• wherein at least a first optical signal from the light source transmitted between the input and output ends of the transmitting element core before said one or more agents are absorbed, exhibits no substantial loss in optical signal power, and
• at least a second optical signal transmitted through the transmitting element core between the input and the output ends absorbing the one or more agents exhibits a loss in optical signal power resulting from a change in the difference between the refractive indices of the transmitting element core and the dielectric system effected through the change in the refractive index of the dielectric system,
• such that, said detector detects and converts, the first and second optical signals to corresponding first and second electrical signals, and
• the integrated circuit upon receiving the first and second electrical integrates the respective first and second electrical signals over a predetermined time period thereby, respectively generating amplified first and second signals, filters signal noise, and generates corresponding first and second digital samples from the first and second amplified signals, respectively,
• calculates a power factor from the first and second amplified signals, identifies the one or more agents absorbed, according to the predetermined receptors types,
• determines the concentration of the absorbed one or more agents by correlating the power factor to the density and molecular weight of the absorbed one or more agents;
• and
• displays data which is also available for remote monitoring;
• and wherein the first and second units are physically detachable such that the first unit is operable with a replaceable second unit.