MULTI-WAVELENGTH OPTICAL DEVICES AND METHODS OF USING SAME

• US 20100049017A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valencell, Inc.
• Inventors: LeBoeuf, Steven Francis, Tucker, Jesse Berkley
• Granted Patent: US 8,320,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips

Abstract

Multi-wavelength optical apparatus includes an optical emitter, and an energy transition layer positioned adjacent to the optical emitter. The energy transition layer generates multi-wavelength electromagnetic radiation when monochromatic light from the optical emitter passes therethrough. The energy transition layer includes a plurality of luminescent films, and each film is configured to luminesce at a respective different wavelength range when monochromatic light from the optical emitter passes therethrough. The plurality of luminescent films may be arranged in contacting face-to-face relationship or may be arranged in an array. The luminescent films may include rare-earth doped oxides, phosphors, metal-doped oxides, rare-earth doped nitrides, nanostructures, and/or nanostructured films, etc. The optical emitter may be a light emitting diode (LED), a laser diode (LD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a resonant cavity light emitting diode (RCLED), and/or an edge-emitting diode (EELED).

Claims

1. A multi-wavelength optical apparatus, comprising:

an optical emitter that emits light along a light path;

an energy transition layer positioned in the light path, wherein the energy transition layer generates multi-wavelength electromagnetic radiation when monochromatic light from the optical emitter passes therethrough; and

a detector configured to receive electromagnetic radiation generated by the energy transition layer;

wherein the apparatus is configured to receive an article adjacent to the energy transition layer and the detector, and wherein the optical detector is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation generated by the energy transition layer that is reflected from and/or transmitted through the article.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is a pulse oximeter detector configured to detect a ratio of oxygenated to deoxygenated blood in a body of a subject.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive a finger of a subject between the energy transition layer and the detector.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive an earlobe, ear canal, tragus, meatus and/or concha of a subject between the energy transition layer and the detector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a transdermal drug delivery device, wherein the optical emitter emits light through the skin of a subject, and wherein the detector is configured to detect an optical signal passing through or reflecting from the skin and/or at least one blood vessel that is relevant to a drug molecule concentration delivered to the subject.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is a spectroscopic detector configured to detect one or more of the following:

physiological data, biometric data, pollution data, and water quality data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy transition layer comprises a plurality of luminescent films, and wherein each film is configured to luminesce at a respective different wavelength range when monochromatic light from the optical emitter passes therethrough.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of luminescent films are arranged in contacting face-to-face relationship.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of luminescent films are arranged in an array.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the optical emitter comprises an array of mesa structures, wherein the plurality of luminescent films are arranged in a corresponding array, and wherein each luminescent film is configured to luminesce at a respective different wavelength range when monochromatic light from a respective mesa structure passes therethrough.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of luminescent films comprise rare-earth doped oxides, phosphors, metal-doped oxides, rare-earth doped nitrides, nanostructures, and/or nanostructured films.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical emitter comprises a light emitting diode (LED), a laser diode (LD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a resonant cavity light emitting diode (RCLED), and/or an edge-emitting diode (EELED).

13. A method of noninvasively measuring a physiological property of a being, comprising:

illuminating a portion of a body of the being with multi-wavelength electromagnetic radiation generated by an energy transition layer, wherein the energy transition layer generates multi-wavelength electromagnetic radiation when monochromatic light from an optical emitter passes therethrough; and

detecting electromagnetic energy reflected from and/or transmitted through the body portion via a detector, wherein the detected electromagnetic energy is indicative of the state of a physiological property of the being.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the physiological property includes metabolic activity, blood properties, and/or tissue properties.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising delivering a dosage of a drug transdermally to the being prior to the illuminating step, and wherein the detecting step comprises detecting an optical signal passing through the skin or at least one blood vessel of the being that is relevant to a drug molecule concentration delivered to the being.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the energy transition layer comprises a plurality of luminescent films, and wherein each film is configured to luminesce at a respective different wavelength when monochromatic light from the optical emitter passes therethrough.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of luminescent films are arranged in contacting face-to-face relationship.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of luminescent films are arranged in an array.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the optical emitter comprises an array of mesa structures, wherein the plurality of luminescent films are arranged in a corresponding array, and wherein each luminescent film is configured to luminesce at a respective different wavelength range when monochromatic light from a respective mesa structure passes therethrough.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of luminescent films comprise rare-earth doped oxides, phosphors, metal-doped oxides, rare-earth doped nitrides, nanostructures, and/or nanostructured films.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the optical emitter comprises a light emitting diode (LED), a laser diode (LD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a resonant cavity light emitting diode (RCLED), and/or an edge-emitting diode (EELED).

14. The method of claim 14, wherein the detector is a pulse oximeter detector configured to detect a ratio of oxygenated to deoxygenated blood in a body of a subject.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the body portion comprises a finger.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the body portion comprises a portion of an ear.