Detecting and/or measuring a substance based on a resonance shift of photons orbiting within a microsphere
US7491491B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 12, 2002 |
| Grant date | Feb 17, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/924
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Detecting and/or measuring a substance based on a resonance shift of photons orbiting within a microsphere of a sensor. Since the resonance of the microsphere has a large quality factor, the sensor is extremely sensitive. The sensor includes the microsphere coupled with at least one optical fiber. The surface of the microsphere includes receptors complementary to the substance. The at least one optical fiber can be provided with at least one additional microsphere having a surface free of the receptors. Resonance shifts observed in such an additional microsphere(s) can be attributed to factors unrelated to the presence of the substance. The resonance shift observed in the microsphere with the receptors can be compensated based on the resonance shift of the additional microsphere(s) to remove the influence of these other factors.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.