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Publication Number
US-7885490-B2
Publication Date
2011-02-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparatus and method for optically detecting the presence of an analyte in a solution is presented. An embodiment comprises a waveguide resonator that is optically coupled to a fluid in a fluidic conduit so that the resonant wavelength of the waveguide resonator is based on the refractive index of the fluid.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an optical chemical detector for microfluidic analyte detection using a fluid-coupled waveguide resonator. A fluid-coupled waveguide resonator is positioned at a detection region so that the analyte changes the fluid refractive index at the detection region, which shifts a resonant wavelength and/or a spectral component of an optical response.
In the described concept, a sensor includes a fluidic conduit conveying a fluid with a first region, and a first waveguide resonator optically resonant for a first spectral component when the fluid has a first refractive index and optically resonant for a second spectral component when the fluid has a second refractive index. A first bus waveguide and a second bus waveguide are associated with the waveguide resonator and are optically coupled with an input port so that the resonator returns a selected spectral component to the input port.
For analyte detection, the resonator and the fluid are optically coupled at a first region of the fluidic conduit to receive a first light signal and provide a second light signal. The second light signal has a first intensity when the fluid is analyte-free and a second intensity when the fluid comprises the analyte, and the intensity and/or spectral-component dependence on analyte presence enables detection at the input port.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover fluidic-conduit coupling, dimensioned waveguide-resonator spectral/intensity response to analyte-dependent refractive index, input-port coupling with bus waveguides, and computing time differentials based on intensity change. Across these independent claims, four inventive features are present.
Fluidic conduit with fluid refractive-index dependent waveguide resonance
A fluidic conduit for conveying a fluid with a first region, and a first waveguide resonator optically resonant for a first spectral component when the fluid in the first region has a first refractive index and optically resonant for a second spectral component when the fluid in the first region has a second refractive index.
Dual bus waveguides and input-port coupling returning spectral components
A first bus waveguide and a second bus waveguide where the first waveguide resonator comprises the first bus waveguide and the second bus waveguide, and an input port where the input port, first bus waveguide and second bus waveguide are optically coupled, with the first waveguide resonator dimensioned and arranged to return the first spectral component to the input port when the fluid in the first region has the first refractive index.
Analyte presence produces intensity-dependent resonator output
A sensor for detecting the presence of an analyte in a fluid with a first region where the first waveguide resonator and the fluid are optically coupled at the first region, and wherein the first waveguide resonator is dimensioned and arranged to receive a first light signal and provide a second light signal based on the first light signal with a first intensity when the fluid is analyte-free and a second intensity when the fluid comprises the analyte.
Computing a time differential based on intensity change after sample addition
A method for detecting an analyte in a fluid including receiving a first light signal at a first waveguide resonator optically coupled to the fluid at a first region, adding a sample at a first time at a second region where the sample comprises the analyte, inducing a flow from the second region to the first region, and computing a first time differential between the first time and a second time based on a change in the intensity of the second signal.
Overall, the independent claims define a fluid-coupled, dimensioned waveguide resonator with bus waveguides and input-port coupling whose spectral component and/or intensity behavior depends on whether the fluid is analyte-free or comprises an analyte. The method claim further uses intensity change to compute time differentials tied to sample addition and analyte arrival at a resonator-coupled region.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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