System and method for detection of materials using orbital angular momentum signatures

• US 10,048,202 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nxgen Partners Ip, LLC (NxGen Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nxgen Partners Ip, LLC (NxGen Partners LLC)
• Inventors: Ashrafi, Solyman, Linquist, Roger D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stock, Jr., Gordon J
• Application Number:
  US15/677,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20170370838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1765 Method using an image detector and processing of image signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/17 Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated where the material investigated is optically excited causing a change in wavelength of the incident light G01N21/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/21 Polarisation-affecting properties G01N21/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/59 Transmissivity G01N21/25 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 24/00 Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance or other spin effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/483 Physical analysis of biological material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4833 of solid biological material, e.g. tissue samples, cell cultures tissue in vivo A61B5/00; cell suspensions G01N33/48735
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/487 of liquid biological material
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3657 Decoupling of multiple RF coils wherein the multiple RF coils do not have the same function in MR, e.g. decoupling of a transmission coil from a receive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3692 involving signal transmission without using electrically conductive connections, e.g. wireless communication or optical communication of the MR signal or an auxiliary signal other than the MR signal

Abstract

An apparatus for identifying a material within a sample comprising signal generation circuitry generates a first signal including a first orbital angular momentum (OAM) signature and applies the first signal to the sample. A detector receives the first signal after the first signal passes through the sample and identifies the material within the sample based on a detected second orbital angular momentum caused by an interaction of the first signal with chiral molecules within the sample.

Claims

1. An apparatus for identifying a material within a sample, comprising:

signal generation circuitry for generating a first signal including a first orbital angular momentum (OAM) signature and applying the first signal to the sample; and

a detector for receiving the first signal after the first signal passes through the sample and identifying the material within the sample based on a detected second orbital angular momentum signature caused by an interaction of the first signal with chiral molecules within the sample.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein ambient light scattering by the chiral molecules within the sample is not detected.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal generation circuitry further comprises:

a plane wave signal generator for generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

a spatial light modulator for generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal generation circuitry further comprises:

a plane wave signal generator for generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

an amplitude mask for generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal generation circuitry further comprises:

a plane wave signal generator for generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

a phase mask for generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal generation circuitry further comprises:

a plane wave signal generator for generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

a digital light processor for generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal generation circuitry further comprises:

a plane wave signal generator for generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

orbital angular momentum generation circuitry for generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves, wherein the orbital angular momentum circuitry further comprises at least one hologram for applying the first orbital angular momentum signature to the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the detector further includes circuitry for determining a phase of the first signal after the first signal passes through the sample, wherein the circuitry determines the phase by interfering the first signal having the second orbital angular momentum signature therein with an interference signal having the plane waves therein.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector identifies the material within the sample based on a detected amplitude measurement and phase measurement of the second orbital angular momentum signature caused by an interaction of the first signal with the chiral molecules within the sample.

10. A method for identifying a material within a sample, comprising:

generating a first signal including a first orbital angular momentum (OAM) signature therein;

applying the first signal to the sample;

receiving the first signal after the first signal passes through the sample; and

identifying the material within the sample based on a detected second orbital angular momentum signature caused by an interaction of the first signal with chiral molecules within the sample.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein ambient light scattering by the chiral molecules within the sample is not detected.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating further comprises:

generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves using a spatial light modulator.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating further comprises:

generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves using an amplitude mask.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating further comprises:

generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves using a phase mask.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating further comprises:

generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves using a digital light processor.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating further comprises:

generating a signal comprised of a plurality of plane waves; and

generating the first signal having the first orbital angular momentum signature applied thereto responsive to receipt of the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves by applying the first orbital angular momentum signature to the signal comprised of the plurality of plane waves.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of identifying further includes:

determining a phase of the first signal after the first signal passes through the sample; and

interfering the first signal having the second orbital angular momentum signature therein with an interference signal having the plane waves therein to determine the phase of the first signal after the first signal passes through the sample.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of identifying further comprises:

detecting an amplitude measurement and phase measurement of the second orbital angular momentum signature caused by an interaction of the first signal with the chiral molecules in the sample; and

identifying the material within the sample based on the detected amplitude measurement and phase measurement of the second orbital angular momentum signature.

19. A detector for identifying a material within a sample, comprising:

an input interface for receiving a first signal having an orbital angular momentum (OAM) signature applied thereto caused by passing through the sample;

detection circuitry for detecting the orbital angular momentum signature within the first signal and identifying the material within the sample based on the detected orbital angular momentum signature caused by an interaction of the first signal with chiral molecules within the sample as the first signal passes through the sample.

20. The detector of claim 19, wherein the detection circuitry identifies the material within the sample based on a detected amplitude measurement and phase measurement of the orbital angular momentum signature caused by an interaction of the first signal with chiral molecules within the sample.