Interference enhanced optical sensor for detecting chemical species

US5563707A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hoechst GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Werner Prass · Mainz, DE
• Thomas Stehlin · Kriftel, DE
• Yuan Liu · Kawagoe, JP
• Shizuo Ogura · Tsurugashima, JP
• Kenji Motosugi · Kawagoe, JP
• Akihiko Tokida · Kawagoe, JP
• Tetsu Yamamoto · Kawasaki, JP

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 6, 1995
• Grant date: Oct 8, 1996
• Expiry date: Jun 6, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N33/0047
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical sensor for detecting gaseous or liquid chemical species including a sensing element having a flat light reflecting substrate and one or more transparent thin films which are organic or inorganic films or high-polymer films and are formed on the substrate. The detection of the gaseous or liquid chemical species is effected by measuring a change in the light reflection characteristic of the sensing element based on swelling of the thin film or a change in its thickness or refractive index or changes in both parameters.