Self-encoding fiber optic sensor
US7115884B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 6, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 3, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 13, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/7786
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Self-encoding microspheres having distinct characteristic optical response signatures to specific target analytes may be mixed together while the ability is retained to identify the sensor type and location of each sensor in a random dispersion of large numbers of such sensors in a sensor array using an optically interrogatable encoding scheme, resulting in a microsphere-based analytic chemistry system. Individual microsphere sensors are disposed in microwells at a distal end of a fiber bundle and are optically coupled to discrete fibers or groups of fibers within the bundle to form an optical fiber bundle sensor. The identities of the individual sensors in the array are self-encoded by exposing the array to a reference analyte while illuminating the array with excitation light energy. A single sensor array may carry thousands of discrete sensing elements whose combined signal provides for substantial improvements in sensor detection limits, response times and signal-to-noise ratios.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.