Obtaining information from optical cavity output light

US7502123B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated · US

Inventors

• Oliver Schmidt · Palo Alto, US
• Peter Kiesel · Palo Alto, US
• Michael Bassler · Erlangen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 5, 2007
• Grant date: Mar 10, 2009
• Expiry date: Mar 16, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N21/0303
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Output light from an optical cavity includes, for each of a set of modes, an intensity function, and a mode's intensity function includes information, such as about an optical characteristic of an analyte or of a region. For example, the intensity function can include a peak, and its central energy, maximum intensity, contrast, or intermediate intensity width (e.g. FWHM) can indicate the optical characteristic. The output light can be photosensed, providing electrical signals that depend on the optical characteristic. Information about the analyte or region can then be obtained using the electrical signals. For example, the information can be about both refractive index and absorption of an analyte. Cavity-only absorption values, independent, for example, of absorption outside the cavity and of inhomogeneous illumination, can be obtained based on contrast or intermediate intensity width. For detection of glucose in bodily fluid, derivatives of absorption can be obtained.