Compact, hand-held Raman spectrometer microsystem on a chip

• US 20070236697A1
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Morpho Detection LLC (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: GE Homeland Protection Incorporated (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Chandrasekaran, Shankar, Banerjee, Ayan, Zribi, Anis, Goravar, Shivappa, Que, Long, Kennerly, Stacey, Hays, David, Claydon, Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/454
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0208 using focussing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or mirrors; performing aberration correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0256 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0272 Handheld
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0291 Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/26 using multiple reflection, e.g. Fabry-Perot interferometer, variable interference filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/44 Raman spectrometry; Scattering spectrometry ; Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0221 Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held

Abstract

An integrated spectrometer instrument, including an optical source formed on a chip, the optical source configured to generate an incident optical beam upon a sample to be measured. Collection optics formed on the chip are configured to receive a scattered optical beam from the sample, and filtering optics formed on the chip are configured to remove elastically scattered light from the scattered optical beam at a wavelength corresponding to the optical source. A tunable filter formed on the chip is configured to pass selected wavelengths of the scattered optical beam, and a photo detector device formed on the chip is configured to generate an output signal corresponding to the intensity of photons passed through the tunable filter.

Claims

1. An integrated spectrometer instrument, comprising:

an optical source formed on a chip, said optical source configured to generate an incident optical beam upon a sample to be measured;

collection optics formed on the chip, said collection optics configured to receive a scattered optical beam from the sample;

filtering optics formed on the chip, said filtering optics configured to remove elastically scattered light from said scattered optical beam at a wavelength corresponding to said optical source;

a tunable filter formed on the chip, said tunable filter configured to pass selected wavelengths of said scattered optical beam; and

a photo detector device formed on the chip, said photo detector device configured to generate an output signal corresponding to the intensity of photons passed through said tunable filter.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said collection optics further comprise photonic crystals formed on the chip.

3. The instrument of claim 2, wherein said collection optics further comprise a high numerical aperture lens and a collimator.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said tunable filter further comprises a Fabry-Perot filter.

5. The instrument of claim 4, wherein said Fabry-Perot filter further comprises a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuator coupled to a movable mirror.

6. The instrument of claim 5, wherein said MEMS actuator is configured to change the position of said movable mirror without deflection of said movable mirror.

7. The instrument of claim 6, wherein said MEMS actuator is configured to change the position of said movable mirror without application of a voltage directly thereto.

8. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said photo detector device comprises one of a quantum dot detector array or an avalanche photodiode detector.

9. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said optical source comprises an ultraviolet (UV) laser.

10. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said optical source comprises a near infrared (NIR) laser.

11. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said optical source comprises a visible laser.

12. A portable, hand-held spectrometer device, comprising:

a body having operator controls and an output display;

an optical signal output port through which an internally generated incident optical beam is directed, and an optical signal input port through which a sample-scattered optical beam is received;

said incident optical beam generated by an optical source formed on a chip housed within said body;

collection optics formed on said chip, said collection optics configured to receive said sample-scattered optical beam;

filtering optics formed on the chip, said filtering optics configured to remove elastically scattered light from said sample-scattered optical beam at a wavelength corresponding to said optical source;

a tunable filter formed on the chip, said tunable filter configured to pass selected wavelengths of said sample-scattered optical beam; and

a photo detector device formed on the chip, said photo detector device configured to generate an output signal corresponding to the intensity of photons passed through said tunable filter.

13. The spectrometer device of claim 12, further comprising a detachable optofluidics module in optical communication with said optical signal output port and said optical signal input port, said optofluidics module having a fluid inlet for collecting and analyzing a fluid sample.

14. The spectrometer device of claim 13, wherein said optofluidics module further comprises a closed geometry channel configured to contain a fluid sample drawn therein.

15. The spectrometer device of claim 14, wherein said sidewalls of said channel include nanoparticles formed thereon with capture molecules for surface enhanced Raman detection.

16. The spectrometer device of claim 14, wherein said closed geometry channel further comprises one of a square, rectangular, circular and hexagonal shape, configured to form an optical waveguide path between said an optical signal output port and said optical signal input port.

17. The spectrometer device of claim 12, wherein said collection optics further comprise photonic crystals formed on the chip.

18. The spectrometer device of claim 17, wherein said collection optics further comprise a high numerical aperture lens and a collimator.

19. The spectrometer device of claim 12, wherein said tunable filter further comprises a Fabry-Perot filter.

20. The spectrometer device of claim 19, wherein said Fabry-Perot filter further comprises a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuator coupled to a movable mirror.

21. The spectrometer device of claim 20, wherein said MEMS actuator is configured to change the position of said movable mirror without deflection of said movable mirror.

22. The spectrometer device of claim 21, wherein said MEMS actuator is configured to change the position of said movable mirror without application of a voltage directly thereto.

23. The spectrometer device of claim 12, wherein said photo detector device comprises one of a quantum dot detector array or an avalanche photodiode detector.

24. The spectrometer device of claim 12, wherein said optical source comprises an ultraviolet (UV) laser.

25. The spectrometer device of claim 12, wherein said optical source comprises a near infrared (NIR) laser.

26. The spectrometer device of claim 12, wherein said optical source comprises a visible laser.

27. The spectrometer device of claim 12, further comprising an actuator for automatically controlling the amount of output optical power transmitted through said optical signal output port.