US4815843A
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US
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Optical sensor for selective detection of substances and/or for the detection of refractive index changes in gaseous, liquid, solid and porous samples
Assignee: Artificial Sensing Instruments ASI AG
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Filing: 1986-05-29
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Granted: 1989-03-28
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Expires: 2006-05-29
Abstract
Abstract The optical sensor for the detection of specific substances and refractive index changes in gaseous, liquid, solid and porous samples is composed of integrated optical elements. It consists of a waveguiding film (1) equipped with a diffraction grating (4) and applied onto a substrate (2). For the selective detection of a specific substance contained in the sample (3) a selectively chemisorbing additional layer (5) covers the film (1) at least in the grating region. The sample (3) is applied at least in the grating region either directly onto the waveguiding film (1) or onto the selectively chemisorbing additional layer (5). Chemisorption of the substance, which is contained in the sample (3) and is to be detected, to the selectively chemisorbing additional layer (5) results in a further adlayer (6) coating the waveguiding film (1). The principle of the sensor is as follows: Due to chemisorption of a further adlayer (6) and/or due to a refractive index change of the sample (3) a change in the effective refractive index N of a mode guided in the waveguiding film (1) is effected. For the detection of this change the set-up (1,2,3,4,5) described above is used as grating coupler or Bragg reflector.
Inventors
- 👤 Kurt Tiefenthaler
- 👤 Walter Lukosz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/75; G01N21/77; G01N21/7703; G01N21/774; G01N21/7743; G01N21/17; G01N21/41; G01N21/43; G01N21/431; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/12007; G02B6/122; G02B6/124; G01N2021/436; G01N2021/437; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
An optical sensor for detecting chemical, biochemical or biological substances in a sample, comprising: a waveguiding structure formed by a waveguiding film covering a substrate, wherein the waveguiding film has a refractive index at least 1% higher than the refractive index of the substrate; a diffraction grating contained in the waveguiding structure; and a chemo-responsive layer covering the waveguiding film in a region around the diffraction grating, wherein said chemo-responsive layer is capable of binding with the substances to be assayed and has a thickness of less than one wavelength.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
90 words
An optical sensor for detecting chemical, biochemical or biological substances in a sample, comprising: a waveguiding structure formed by a waveguiding film covering a substrate, wherein the waveguiding film has a refractive index at least 1% higher than the refractive index of the substrate; a diffraction grating contained in the waveguiding structure; and a chemo-responsive layer covering the waveguiding film in a region around the diffraction grating, wherein said chemo-responsive layer is capable of binding with the substances to be assayed and has a thickness of less than one wavelength.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the waveguiding structure outside the region around the diffraction grating is covered by a protective layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical sensor, according to claim 2, wherein the protective layer consists of SiO 2 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical sensor according to claim 3, wherein the protective layer tapers near the region around the diffraction grating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical sensor according to claim 4, wherein the diffraction grating is a surface relief grating on the waveguiding structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical sensor according to claim 5, wherein the diffraction grating is a phase volume grating.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical sensor according to claim 6, wherein the waveguiding structure is a high index monomode structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An optical sensor according to claim 7, wherein the waveguiding film is covered by a binding layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
An optical sensor according to claim 8, wherein the binding layer is a silane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical sensor according to claim 9, wherein the chemo-responsive layer is a monomolecular layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
An optical sensor according to claim 9, wherein the waveguiding structure is microporous in the region around the diffraction grating and the chemoresponsive molecules are brought into the micropores.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical sensor according to claim 11, wherein the substrate is microporous in the region around the diffraction grating and chemo-responsive molecules are brought into the micropores.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
An optical sensor according to claim 11, wherein the chemo-responsive layer is composed of molecules of a specifically binding biological receptor that specifically blinds with biomolecules which are complementary to the receptor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
An optical sensor according to claim 13, wherein the chemo-responsive layer comprises antibodies for an antigen which is to be assayed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical sensor according to claim 14, wherein a membrane of selective permeability is fixed on the protective layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
An optical sensor according to claim 8, wherein the binding layer is a polymer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical sensor according to claim 16, wherein the chemo-responsive layer is a monomolecular layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical sensor according to claim 16, wherein the waveguiding structure is microporous in the region around the diffraction and chemo-responsive molecules are brought into the micropores.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical sensor according to claim 18, wherein the substrate is microporous in the region around the diffraction grating and chemo-responsive molecules are brought into the micropores.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
An optical sensor according to claim 18, wherein the chemo-responsive layer is composed of molecules of a specifically binding biological receptor that specifically binds biomolecules which are complementary to the receptor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
An optical sensor according to claim 20, wherein the chemo-responsive layer comprises antibodies for an antigen which is to be assayed.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical sensor according to claim 21, wherein a membrane of selective permeability is fixed on the protective layer.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for detecting chemical, biochemical or biological substances in a sample including the steps of: measuring the effective index of an optical sensor comprising a waveguiding structure formed by a waveguiding film covering a substrate wherein the waveguiding film has a refractive index at least 1% higher than the refractive index of the substrate, a diffraction grating in said waveguiding structure, and a chemo-responsive layer covering the waveguiding film in a region around the diffraction grating so that the chemo-responsive layer is capable of binding the substances to be assayed and has a thickness of less than one wavelength; contacting said optical sensor with the sample; and measuring the effective index change caused by the binding of the species to the chemo-responsive layer.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for detecting chemical, biochemical or biological substances in a sample including the steps of: measuring the effective index of an optical sensor comprising a waveguiding structure formed by a waveguiding film covering a substrate wherein the waveguiding film has a refractive index at least 1% higher than the refractive index of the substrate, a diffraction grating in said waveguiding structure, and a chemo-responsive layer covering the waveguiding film in a region around the diffraction grating so that the chemo-responsive layer is capable of binding the substances to be assayed and has a thickness of less than one wavelength; contacting said optical sensor with the sample; and measuring the effective index change caused by the binding of the species to the chemo-responsive layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein the maximum effective index change is measured in order to determine the concentration of the substances.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 24, in which the velocity of the effective index change is measured.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 25, wherein a laser beam is coupled into the waveguiding structure under a constant angle of incidence and the intensity change of the incoupled mode is measured.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 25, wherein a laser beam is coupled into the waveguiding structure under a constant angle of incidence and the intensity change of the non-incoupled diffraction order is measured.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 25, wherein a laser beam is coupled into the waveguiding structure under the angle of incidence leading to the highest intensity of the incoupled mode and measuring the effective index change by determining the change of the angle of incidence leading to highest intensity of the incoupled mode.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 25, wherein a laser beam is coupled into the waveguiding structure under a constant angle of incidence and the intensity change of the non-incoupled diffraction order is measured.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 25, wherein a laser beam is coupled into the waveguiding structure under a constant angle of incidence and the change of wavelength is measured.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 25, wherein a laser beam is coupled into the waveguiding structure and the change of the outcoupling angle is measured.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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