Patent · US Expired

Diode laser-based chemical and biological sensor

US5766956A · kind A · utility

59Cited by
10References
33Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 27, 1997
Grant dateJun 16, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 27, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2201/0612
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A-compact, diode laser-based sensor has applications in biological and chemical analysis. Unlike existing optical waveguide-based sensors, no external coupling to external optical fibers or waveguides is required to perform optical chemical, immunological or nucleic acid-based assay or to detect the presence of toxic or otherwise important chemicals. The sensor includes a surface-sensitive diode laser having a substrate layer, an n-contact layer positioned on a bottom surface of the substrate, an n-clad layer overlying the top surface of the substrate, a first guide layer overlying the n-clad layer, a quantum well layer overlying the first guide layer, a second guide layer overlying the first quantum well layer, a p-clad layer overlying the second guided layer and a p-doped cap layer overlying the p-clad layer. A pair of electrodes separated by a surface-sensitive region is positioned on the cap layer. The surface active region includes an oxide layer grown on the thick cap layer and an absorbing or non-absorbing film deposited on the oxide layer. For internal reflection, inorganic material coatings are applied to end facets or Bragg reflectors are etched in the cap layer. Detector…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.