Implantable optical sensor
Inventors
ORDONEZ ORELLANA, Juan Sebastian • Delbeke, Danaë • Van Schuylenbergh, Koenraad • CARDILE, Paolo • Subramanian, Ananth
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11579083-B2
Publication Date
2023-02-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
An implantable optical sensor (1) comprising a substrate (2) and at least one optical microstructure (3) for evanescent field sensing integrated with the substrate (2), the at least one optical microstructure (3) being positioned to form an optical interaction area (4) on a part of a surface (5) of the substrate (2), the optical assembly (1) further comprising a thin protective layer (6) covering at least the optical interaction area (4), the thin protective layer (6) being in a predetermined material with corrosion-protection characteristics and having a predetermined thickness, so as not to affect the evanescent field sensing.
Core Innovation
The implantable optical sensor comprises a substrate and at least one optical microstructure for evanescent field sensing integrated with the substrate. The optical microstructure is positioned to form an optical interaction area on a part of a surface of the substrate, and a protective layer covers at least the optical interaction area.
The protective layer is in a predetermined material with corrosion-protection characteristics and has a predetermined thickness so as not to affect the evanescent field sensing. The protective layer is compatible with a possible selection of the material of the optical microstructure as main light-carrying means, from a group of high quality optical grade materials comprising at least one of Si, SiOx, SiN and III-V materials.
The protective layer has a thickness of less than 50% of a thickness of the optical microstructure, and the protective layer covers steps, corners and curves of the optical microstructure in a conformal manner. The manufacturing includes integrating the optical microstructure with the substrate to form the optical interaction area, and providing the protective layer over the optical interaction area without affecting the evanescent field sensing.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims: an implantable optical sensor claim and a method of manufacturing an implantable optical sensor claim. Each independent claim is centered on evanescent-field sensing optical microstructures combined with a corrosion-protective protective layer that does not affect evanescent field sensing.
Conformal corrosion-protective layer over an optical interaction area for evanescent-field sensing
An implantable optical sensor with a substrate-integrated optical microstructure positioned to form an optical interaction area, and a protective layer covering at least the optical interaction area in a predetermined corrosion-protection material and predetermined thickness so as not to affect the evanescent field sensing.
Protective layer compatible with optical grade microstructure materials as main light-carrying means
The protective layer is compatible with a possible selection of the optical microstructure material as main light-carrying means from high quality optical grade materials comprising at least one of Si, SiOx, SiN and III-V materials.
Protective layer thickness limited to preserve evanescent field accessibility
The protective layer has a thickness of less than 50% of a thickness of the optical microstructure.
Protective layer conformal over steps, corners and curves
The protective layer covers steps, corners and curves of the optical microstructure in a conformal manner.
Manufacturing an implantable sensor by integrating optical microstructures and forming a corrosion-protective conformal layer
A method comprising providing a substrate, integrating at least one optical microstructure positioned to form an optical interaction area for evanescent field sensing, and providing a protective layer at least over the optical interaction area in a predetermined material with corrosion-protection characteristics and predetermined thickness so as not to affect the evanescent field sensing.
Manufacturing the protective layer compatible with optical grade microstructure materials
The method requires that the provided protective layer is compatible with a possible selection of the optical microstructure material as main light-carrying means from high quality optical grade materials comprising at least one of Si, SiOx, SiN and III-V materials.
Manufacturing with conformal protective coverage over microstructure topography
The method further requires that the protective layer covers steps, corners and curves of the at least one optical microstructure in a conformal manner.
Across both independent claims, the inventive focus is the combination of substrate-integrated optical microstructures forming an optical interaction area for evanescent field sensing with a conformal corrosion-protective protective layer. The protective layer is limited in thickness (less than 50% of the microstructure thickness) and is compatible with optical-grade microstructure materials used as main light-carrying means.
Stated Advantages
The protective layer provides corrosion protection while not affecting the evanescent field sensing.
The protective layer thickness is selected so as not to affect the evanescent field sensing (thickness less than 50% of the optical microstructure thickness).
Conformal coverage of steps, corners and curves is achieved with the corrosion-protective layer.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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