Photonic embedded reference sensor
Inventors
Van Schuylenbergh, Koenraad • ORDONEZ ORELLANA, Juan Sebastian
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11678823-B2
Publication Date
2023-06-20
Expiration Date
Abstract
A sensing system comprises a photonics integrated circuit partially encapsulated by an encapsulation material and the photonics integrated circuit comprising a first integrated sensor accessible to a target analyte and being positioned in a part of the photonics integrated circuit not being encapsulated by an encapsulation material, and a second integrated sensor accessible to a reference substance and being positioned in a part of the photonics integrated circuit that is encapsulated by an encapsulation material. The sensing system is further adapted to, when in use, comprise the reference substance but less or no target analyte between the second integrated sensor and the encapsulation material as compared to the amount of target analyte being present at the first integrated sensor.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a sensing system for sensing a target analyte in a sample. The sensing system comprises a photonics integrated circuit partially encapsulated by an encapsulation material, with a first integrated sensor accessible to the target analyte and positioned in a part not encapsulated by the encapsulation material, and a second integrated sensor accessible to a reference substance and positioned in a part encapsulated by the encapsulation material.
The reference substance is based on the sample, but the target analyte is at least partially filtered out through filtering by the encapsulation material. As a result, the reference substance has similar basic properties as the sample, and when in use the region between the second integrated sensor and the encapsulation material comprises the reference substance but less or no target analyte than at the first integrated sensor.
The encapsulation material is a biocompatible packaging material. The encapsulated second integrated sensor accesses a dynamically formed reference substance filtered by diffusion and encapsulation permeability, and the encapsulation can include selectively permeable behavior.
The relationship between the encapsulation material and the second integrated sensor can be realized using a cavity formed by delamination or a predetermined cavity interface, including configurations involving delamination-formed or predetermined cavities, and capping structures with openings or sacrificial layers.
Claims Coverage
The claims identify a photonics integrated circuit with two integrated sensors arranged such that the first sensor directly senses the target analyte while the second sensor senses a reference substance derived from the sample but with the target analyte at least partially filtered out by the encapsulation material. Dependent claims refine the second sensor access and sensing modality, add selective permeable layers, constrain cavity geometry related to delamination, and specify a biocompatible encapsulation material.
Dual-sensor photonics integrated circuit with partial encapsulation and target filtration
A sensing system comprising a photonics integrated circuit partially encapsulated by an encapsulation material, including a first integrated sensor accessible to the target analyte and positioned in a part not encapsulated, and a second integrated sensor accessible to a reference substance and positioned in a part encapsulated, wherein the reference substance is based on the sample but the target analyte is at least partially filtered out through filtering by the encapsulation material so that the reference substance has similar basic properties as the sample.
Reference-substance region with less or no target analyte
When in use, the region between the second integrated sensor and the encapsulation material comprises the reference substance but less or no target analyte, compared to an amount of target analyte present at the first integrated sensor.
Biocompatible packaging encapsulation material
The encapsulation material is a biocompatible packaging material.
Cavity height range for delamination-related interface
The cavity between the encapsulation material and the second integrated sensor has a height perpendicular to the surface of the second integrated sensor within 1 nm to 10 mm, where the cavity is associated with delamination and/or fabrication.
Waveguide configuration for evanescent wave detection on second sensor
The second integrated sensor has a waveguide configuration that senses a parameter of a reference substance using evanescent wave detection.
Selectively permeable selection layer over first integrated sensor
A selectively permeable selection layer is over the first integrated sensor and permits the target analyte to pass while restricting at least one further substance.
Selectively permeable encapsulation relative permeation of reference substance
The encapsulation material is selectively permeable to the reference substance relative to a target analyte.
The inventive concept is the partially encapsulated PIC arrangement in which a first sensor measures the target analyte directly while a second sensor measures a reference substance derived from the sample in which the target analyte is filtered out by the encapsulation material, with further refinement of the encapsulated second sensor access region, selective permeability, and evanescent-wave sensing.
Stated Advantages
Provides similar basic properties in the reference substance as compared to the sample while filtering out at least some target analyte.
Enables sensing such that the reference substance comprises less or no target analyte compared to the target analyte present at the first integrated sensor.
Allows a biocompatible packaging encapsulation material to be used for the encapsulated reference sensing arrangement.
Documented Applications
A biocompatible/implantable sensor context is described for the sensing system using a biocompatible packaging encapsulation material.
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