Providing light to channels or portions
First Claim
1. A method of sensing photons emanating from a channel portion defined in a fluidity structure, the channel portion extending a length in a longitudinal direction and having, at each position along its length, a respective cross section;
- in each position'"'"'s cross section, the channel portion having a boundary along most of which it is surrounded by material with higher refractive index than a fluid in the channel portion would have;
the method comprising;
with fluid in the channel portion, propagating light in the longitudinal direction through the channel portion so that, in cross sections along a part of the length, more than approximately 10% of light intensity from the propagated light occurs in the fluid; and
using a set of cells of a photosensor array on an IC positioned along the channel portion to sense photons emanating from the channel portion in response to the propagated light.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluidity structure includes a channel, a portion of which can contain fluid. Light can propagate in the portion, such as in response to illumination. The refractive index of material at the portion'"'"'s boundary can be higher than that of the fluid, and more than approximately 10% of intensity of light propagating longitudinally occurs in the fluid, possibly approximately 90%. An IC can be positioned along the portion, with a set of cells of a photosensor array on the IC sensing photons emanating in response to the propagating light. The light can enter through a light-transmissive component along the channel'"'"'s boundary, then pass obliquely through a portion of the channel that contains air before passing through a bounding component and obliquely into the portion that can contain fluid. The light can couple to an anti-resonant waveguide mode.
136 Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A method of sensing photons emanating from a channel portion defined in a fluidity structure, the channel portion extending a length in a longitudinal direction and having, at each position along its length, a respective cross section;
- in each position'"'"'s cross section, the channel portion having a boundary along most of which it is surrounded by material with higher refractive index than a fluid in the channel portion would have;
the method comprising;
with fluid in the channel portion, propagating light in the longitudinal direction through the channel portion so that, in cross sections along a part of the length, more than approximately 10% of light intensity from the propagated light occurs in the fluid; and
using a set of cells of a photosensor array on an IC positioned along the channel portion to sense photons emanating from the channel portion in response to the propagated light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- in each position'"'"'s cross section, the channel portion having a boundary along most of which it is surrounded by material with higher refractive index than a fluid in the channel portion would have;
-
9. Apparatus comprising:
-
a fluidity structure;
defined within the fluidity structure, a channel portion that can contain fluid;
the channel portion extending a length in a longitudinal direction and having, in each position along its length, a respective cross section;
in each position'"'"'s cross section, the channel portion having a boundary along most of which it is surrounded by material with higher refractive index than the fluid;
an illumination component that provides light that propagates through the channel portion in the longitudinal direction;
in cross sections along a part of the length, more than approximately 10% of light intensity from the propagating light occurring in the fluid in the channel portion; and
an IC that includes a photosensor array with a set of cells along the channel portion;
the set of cells sensing photons emanating from the channel portion in response to the propagating light. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. Apparatus comprising:
-
a fluidity structure; and
defined within the fluidity structure, a channel portion extending in a longitudinal direction;
the fluidity structure including a light-transmissive bounding component between first and second portions of the channel;
the fluidity structure further having defined therein at least two ports through which fluid can enter and exit the first portion;
the bounding component being positioned so that light can enter the second portion at a first angle oblique to the longitudinal direction, pass through the bounding component, and enter the first portion of the channel at a second angle oblique to the longitudinal direction. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification