Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for evaluating an analyte

US6161437A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
16References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 9, 1999
Grant dateDec 19, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 9, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S436/807
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a combined SAW sensor and a SPR sensor for evaluating an analyte, as well as a novel method for evaluating an analyte by utilizing a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor to determine the mass of the analyte and utilizing a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor to determine the permittivity of the analyte. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided for evaluating an analyte. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a piezoelectric substrate, a SAW sensor disposed on the substrate, and a SPR sensor disposed on the substrate in close proximity to the SAW sensor. In another embodiment, the apparatus more broadly includes a SAW sensor and a SPR sensor coupled to the surface acoustic wave sensor. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus the SAW sensor includes two interdigital transducers and a chemically sensitive film interposed between the two interdigital transducers. The apparatus further includes an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) disposed on the substrate, and interposed between the SAW sensor and the SPR sensor. The AOTF functions to couple the SAW sensor and the SPR sensor. The SPR sensor includes a chemicall…

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