Systems and methods for determining a characteristic of an emissive species
Inventors
Manning, Timothy • Cox, Jason R. • Deans, Robert • Zhu, Zhengguo • Fratto, Brian E. • Davis, Gabriel
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11796539-B2
Publication Date
2023-10-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
Embodiments described herein generally relate to: sensing and/or authentication using luminescence imaging; diagnostic assays, systems, and related methods; temporal thermal sensing and related methods; and/or to emissive species, such as those excitable by white light, and related systems and methods.
Core Innovation
The invention provides non-steady-state optical assay reading using emissive species that produce detectable non-steady-state emission during an emission time period of at least 10 nanoseconds. A radiation source generates electromagnetic radiation to excite the emissive species, and a sensor detects emission during first and second portions of the emission time period, including sensing during a single exposure that yields a time-portion partitioned image.
Processing circuitry identifies a characteristic of the emissive species based on a difference between a property of the first emission detected during the first portion and a property of the second emission detected during the second portion. The disclosure distinguishes between steady-state photon emission and non-steady-state emission, and in some cases the second emission is steady-state, with characteristic identification based on differences between non-steady-state and steady-state emission properties.
The document further describes emissive species and emission mechanisms including prompt fluorescence, delayed fluorescence, prompt phosphorescence, delayed phosphorescence, thermally activated delayed fluorescence, chemiluminescence, and delayed-emission emissive materials. It also describes emissive classes including iodinated dyes such as Erythrosin B, carbon dots, organometallic or metallo-organic emitters, europium luminescent complexes, heavy-atom phosphorescent emissive species, lanthanide/actinide complexes, inorganic phosphors, perovskites, semiconductor nanomaterials, aggregation induced emission, and smartphone-readable rolling-shutter luminescence and time-gated imaging.
Claims Coverage
The claim set includes independent system and method claims that cover excitation of an emissive species to produce detectable non-steady-state emission, partitioned detection of emissions in first and second portions of an emission time period, and identification of a characteristic based on a difference between emission properties. The coverage also includes single-exposure sensing and a steady-state context for the second emission in some dependent forms.
Non-steady-state emission detection in time portions for differential identification
A radiation source excites an emissive species to produce a detectable non-steady-state emission during an emission time period of at least 10 nanoseconds; a sensor detects a first emission during a first portion of the emission time period and a second emission during a second portion; processing circuitry identifies a characteristic based on a difference between a property of the first emission and a property of the second emission.
Single-exposure two-portion sensing during non-steady-state emission time period
A radiation source excites an emissive species to produce a detectable non-steady-state emission during an emission time period; an electromagnetic radiation sensor senses during a single exposure a first emission during a first portion and a second emission during a second portion; processing circuitry identifies a characteristic based on a difference between a property of the first emission and a property of the second emission.
Method of exciting non-steady-state emission and identifying a characteristic from differential properties
A method generates electromagnetic radiation, excites an emissive species such that the species produces a detectable non-steady-state emission during an emission time period, detects during a first portion a first emission and during a second portion a second emission, and identifies the characteristic based on a difference between a property of the first emission and a property of the second emission.
Second emission as steady-state context
In some dependent forms, the second emission is defined as a steady-state emission of the emissive species, and the characteristic is identified from differences between non-steady-state emission properties and steady-state emission properties.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive approach is excitation of an emissive species to generate detectable non-steady-state emission, partitioned detection of emissions into first and second portions of an emission time period, and identification of a characteristic based on a difference between properties of the two detected emissions. The claim coverage also includes single-exposure sensing and dependent variations involving steady-state emission.
Stated Advantages
Enables detection of non-steady-state emission during a time period and identification of a characteristic based on differences between emission properties of different time portions.
Supports identifying characteristics using differences between non-steady-state emission properties and, in some implementations, steady-state emission properties.
Supports discriminating emission contributions by comparing time-portion emission properties, including steady-state photon emission versus non-steady-state emission.
Enables capturing time-dependent emission information within a single exposure or single image partitioned into time portions.
Supports background and stray-light discrimination through differences between emission portions.
Supports combining multiple signal modalities or images to improve assay sensitivity, calibration, authentication, and jitter/noise mitigation.
Documented Applications
Authentication/product ID.
Packaging integrity.
Thermal history.
Heavy-metal detection.
Gas sensing.
Biological assays using biological recognition elements such as antibodies and nucleic acids, including lateral flow assays and COVID-19 immunoassays (IgG/IgM/IgA).
Combining steady-state and non-steady-state signals for background subtraction in imaging.
Smartphone imaging using rolling-shutter time-gating.
Imaging of europium luminescent complexes and related Eu emissive species under pulsed excitation using pulsed white light LED and pulsed UV LED.
Authentication use-case in which a smartphone captures images for tags in lit-room conditions using pulsed excitation.
Testing of emissive species in polymer matrices including PMMA, F8BT/PMMA, and PVA.
Luminescence imaging for sensing, authentication, and diagnostics.
Article or tag identification, including identifying a characteristic corresponding to a characteristic of an article.
Chemical or biological analyte characterization.
Diagnostic assays, including biological diagnostic assays, lateral flow assays, vertical flow assays, and LAMP.
Smartphone-based readout and consumer-device integration, including consumer image sensors and rolling shutter mechanisms.
Time-temperature indicator concepts using delayed emission lifetimes.
Authentication tagging based on time-encoded emission measurements.
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