Patent EP0341927A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0341927A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Biological sensors
Assignee: GE Healthcare Ltd
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Filing: 1989-05-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-05-05
Abstract
Abstract A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) detector in which radiation from a laser source 13 is reflected off a concave reflector 18 to a point or line 19 of incidence on the interface between a glass slide 11 and a metal layer. The single pencil beam 14 from the laser 13 is scanned by a moving mirror 15 across a small arc, covering those angles of incidence within which surface plasmon resonance occurs. A sensitive, for example antibody, layer overlies the metal layer to form a combined layer 20, and a sample to be tested passed across the antibody layer. Any binding which occurs with the antibody layer results in the refractive index of the layer changing, and this change may be detected by monitoring the strength of the beam 16 internally reflected at spot/line 19. A light detector 22 enables the beam 16 to be measured.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin Francis Finlan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:35
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/55; G01N21/552; G01N21/553; G01N33/50; G01N33/53; G01N33/543; G01N33/54366; G01N33/54373; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/808; Y10S436/00; Y10S436/805
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A sensor for use in biological, biochemical or chemical testing, said sensor comprising a block of material transparent to electromagnetic radiation, a layer of metallic material applied to at least part of a first surface of said block, a layer of sensitive material applied to the metallic material, means for introducing onto the sensitive layer so as to react therewith a sample to be analysed, a source of electromagnetic radiation for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, a reflecting element for directing said beam into said transparent block in such a way as to be internally reflected off said part of said surface, and detector means positioned to receive the internally reflected beam, and wherein the angle of incidence of said beam is such as to cause surface plasmon resonance to occur, the characteristics of which resonance, as detected by said monitoring means is dependent upon the reaction between the sample and the sensitive layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
A sensor for use in biological, biochemical or chemical testing, said sensor comprising a block of material transparent to electromagnetic radiation, a layer of metallic material applied to at least part of a first surface of said block, a layer of sensitive material applied to the metallic material, means for introducing onto the sensitive layer so as to react therewith a sample to be analysed, a source of electromagnetic radiation for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, a reflecting element for directing said beam into said transparent block in such a way as to be internally reflected off said part of said surface, and detector means positioned to receive the internally reflected beam, and wherein the angle of incidence of said beam is such as to cause surface plasmon resonance to occur, the characteristics of which resonance, as detected by said monitoring means is dependent upon the reaction between the sample and the sensitive layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
A sensor as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the reflecting element is shaped to compensate for refractive effects as the beam enters the transparent block, so that the beam is always focussed to a particular point on said first surface whatever the position and/or angle of incidence of the beam applied to the reflecting element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
A sensor as claimed in either one of Claims 1 or 2 wherein the beam applied to the reflecting element is a solid beam of radiation, the reflecting element being shaped to bring the beam to a focus at said first surface in such a way that the incoming beam is fan shaped and spans a range of angles of incidence at said surface which covers those which cause surface plasmon resonance to occur.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
105 words
A sensor as claimed in either one of Claims 1 or 2 further including scanning means situated between said radiation source and said reflecting element, which scanning means is operable to continuously alter the angle of incidence of the beam applied to said reflecting element, and wherein the reflecting element is shaped in such a way as to bring said beam to a single point on said first surface whatever the angle of the incoming beam, so that the beam incident at said first surface has an angle of incidence which varies, with said scanning, about those values which cause surface plasmon resonance to occur.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A sensor as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said scanning means comprises means for rotating the output beam from the radiation source backwards and forwards about a small arc.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
A sensor as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said scanning means comprises means for continuously rotating the output beam from the radiation source to give a 360 o sweep of radiation, and means for masking off all but a small arc of said sweep for application to said transparent block.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A sensor as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said rotating means comprises a mirror onto which said radiation beam is incident, and means for rotating said mirror to provide the required rotation of the beam.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sensor as claimed in Claim 7 further including synchronising means for synchronising the mirror rotating means with the information output from the detector means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A sensor as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said radiation source is a phased array source and wherein said scanning means includes means for altering the phases of the individual sources making up said array in such a way that the direction of the output beam of radiation is caused to scan.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A sensor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising a further reflecting element positioned to receive radiation internally reflected at said first surface and to direct such radiation into said detector means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
A sensor as claimed in Claim 10 wherein said further reflecting element is so shaped as to direct light to a particular point on the radiation sensitive surface of said detector means whatever the position and/or angle of the incidence of the beam of radiation applied to said further reflecting element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A sensor as claimed in either of Claims 10 or 11 wherein said further reflecting element has a generally concave reflective surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A sensor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first-mentioned reflecting element has a generally concave reflective surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
A sensor as claimed in any one of the pereceding claims wherein said detector means comprises a large area detecor, of a size sufficient to allow the internally reflected beam to be incident thereon whatever the emergent angle of said beam might be.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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