Guided-mode resonance sensors employing angular, spectral, modal, and polarization diversity for high-precision sensing in compact formats

• US 20080062418A1
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Debra D. Wawro, Robert Magnusson
• Original Assignee: Debra D. Wawro, Robert Magnusson
• Inventors: Magnusson, Robert, Wawro, Debra D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,111,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/307
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7769 Measurement method of reaction-produced change in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7776 Index
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/21 Polarisation-affecting properties G01N21/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7743 the reagent-coated grating coupling light in or out of the waveguide

Abstract

A guided mode resonance (GMR) sensor assembly and system are provided. The GMR sensor includes a waveguide structure configured for operation at or near one or more leaky modes, a receiver for input light from a source of light onto the waveguide structure to cause one or more leaky TE and TM resonant modes and a detector for changes in one or more of the phase, waveshape and/or magnitude of each of a TE resonance and a TM resonance to permit distinguishing between first and second physical states of said waveguide structure or its immediate environment.

Claims

10-1. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 1, wherein the means for detecting is a matrix of photodetector elements.

11-2. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to operate with more than one resonant leaky modes.

12-3. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 1, further comprising a holographic diffraction element for diffracting the input light.

14. A GMR sensor assembly comprising:

a waveguide structure configured for operation at or near one or more leaky modes of input light and

a detector for TE and TM resonances having a sensor array with at least N×

M sensor elements.

15. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 14, wherein the waveguide structure is configured to receive a diverging beam of input light.

16. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 14, wherein the detector is disposed at an opposite side of a plane through the waveguide structure as the input light so as to receive a resonance signal in transmission through the plane of the waveguide structure.

17. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 14, wherein the input light has known magnitude and phase characteristics.

18. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 14, wherein the waveguide structure is configured to receive a diverging beam of input light.

19. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 14, wherein the detector is disposed on the same side of a plane through the waveguide structure as the input light so as to receive a resonance signal in reflection from the waveguide structure.

20. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 14, wherein each sensor element is illuminated by an input light source taken from the group of a light emitting diode, laser diode or vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser.

21. The GMR sensor assembly defined in claim 14, wherein the N×

M sensor elements configured for illumination by a single light source input through a light shaping port.