Patent · US Active

Polarization modulation interrogation of grating-coupled waveguide sensors

US7349590B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
15References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 26, 2005
Grant dateMar 25, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 9, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N33/54373
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical interrogation system and a GCW sensor are described herein that are used to determine whether a biological substance (e.g., cell, molecule, protein, drug) is located in a sensing region of the GCW sensor. The optical interrogation system includes a light source, a polarization modulator and a detection system. The light source outputs a polarized light beam and the polarization modulator modulates the polarized light beam and outputs a polarization-modulated light beam. The GCW sensor receives and converts the polarization-modulated light beam into an amplitude modulated light beam that is directed towards the detection system. The detection system receives the amplitude modulated light beam and demodulates the received amplitude modulated light beam by responding to signals at a modulation frequency of the polarization-modulated light beam and ignoring noise affecting the signals outside the modulation frequency to detect a resonant condition (e.g., resonant angle, resonant wavelength). The detected resonant condition that has a one-to-one relationship with the refractive index of the superstrate containing the biological substance is analyzed to determine whether or no…

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