FLUORESCENT SENSOR AND SENSOR SYSTEM

• US 20140349383A1
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Atsushi, OTA, Ryo
• Application Number:
  US14/457,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20140349383A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/288.7
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6434 Optrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6469 Cavity, e.g. ellipsoid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6471 Special filters, filter wheel
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7753 Reagent layer on photoelectrical transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7786 Fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/77 by observing the effect on a chemical indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/064 Stray light conditioning

Abstract

A fluorescent sensor includes a detecting substrate, an indicator, a filter layer, a light blocking layer, and an LED chip. In the detecting substrate, a PD element for converting fluorescence into electric signals is positioned on wall surfaces of a through-hole which penetrates a first main surface and a second main surface. The indicator is arranged inside the through-hole and generates fluorescence of intensity corresponding to analyte density when the indicator receives excitation light. The filter layer covers the PD element, transmits fluorescence and blocks excitation light. The light blocking layer, through which an analyte can pass, covers an opening of the first main surface of the through-hole. The LED chip covers a region just below an opening of the second main surface of the through-hole, and generates excitation light.

Claims

1. A fluorescent sensor, comprising:

a detecting substrate possessing a first main surface, a second main surface, and a through hole, the through-hole penetrating the first and second main surfaces;

a photoelectric conversion element configured to convert fluorescence into an electric signal positioned in a wall surface of the through-hole;

an indicator arranged inside the through-hole and configured to generate the fluorescence of intensity corresponding to an analyte density when the indicator receives an excitation light;

a filter layer covering the photoelectric conversion element and configured to transmit the fluorescence and block the excitation light;

a light blocking layer covering an opening of the first main surface of the through-hole, the analyte passing through the light blocking layer; and

a luminous element chip covering a region below an opening of the second main surface of the through-hole and configured to generate the excitation light.

2. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 1, wherein the fluorescent sensor is a needle-type sensor having, on a needle head, a sensor unit including the detecting substrate, the filter layer, the indicator, the light blocking layer, and the luminous element chip.

3. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 2, wherein a detection signal wire connected to the photoelectric conversion element and a drive signal wire connected to the luminous element chip are arranged on the second main surface.

4. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 3, wherein the filter layer is arranged on the second main surface.

5. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 4, wherein the wall surface of the through-hole has a tapered configuration.

6. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 4, wherein one end of the through-hole has a larger opening than an other end of the through-hole.

7. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 1, wherein a second photoelectric conversion element is disposed in the second main surface, and the luminous element chip covers the region below the opening of the second main surface and a region below the second photoelectric conversion element.

8. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 7, wherein the electric signal from the photoelectric conversion element is corrected by using an electric signal from the second photoelectric conversion element.

9. A sensor system, comprising:

a needle-type sensor having, on a needle head;

a detecting substrate possessing a first main surface, a second main surface, and a through hole, the through-hole penetrating the first and second main surfaces, the first and second main surfaces each possessing an opening;

a first photoelectric conversion element configured to convert fluorescence into an electric signal being positioned in a wall surface of the through-hole;

a second photoelectric conversion element being positioned in the second main surface;

an indicator arranged inside the through-hole and configured to react to an analyte and generate the fluorescence of intensity corresponding to a density of the analyte when the indicator receives an excitation light;

a light blocking layer covering the opening of the first main surface of the through-hole, the analyte passing through the light blocking layer; and

a luminous element chip covering the region below the opening of the second main surface and a region below the second photoelectric conversion element, and is configured to generate the excitation light; and

a processing unit configured to correct the electric signal from the photoelectric conversion element by using an electric signal from the second photoelectric conversion element.

10. A fluorescent sensor, comprising:

a detecting substrate possessing a first main surface, a second main surface, and a through hole, the through-hole possessing one end opening to the first main surface and an other end opening to the second main surface;

the through-hole axially extending from the first main surface to the second main surface and being surrounded by a wall surface;

a photoelectric conversion element being configured to convert fluorescence into an electric signal, the photoelectric conversion element being positioned at the wall surface of the through-hole;

an indicator arranged inside the through-hole and configured to generate the fluorescence at an intensity corresponding to an analyte density when the indicator receives excitation light, the photoelectric conversion element positioned in the wall surface at least partially encircling the indicator;

a filter layer covering the photoelectric conversion element and configured to transmit the fluorescence and block the excitation light;

a light blocking layer covering the end of the through-hole that opens to the first main surface, the analyte passing through the light blocking layer; and

a luminous element chip being configured to generate the excitation light, the luminous element chip covering the other end of the through-hole that opens to the second main surface.

11. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 10, wherein the wall surface of the through-hole has a substantially rectangular cross-section;

the wall surface has a first, a second, a third and a fourth side, the first and the third sides opposing each other and being orthogonal to the second and the fourth sides; and

the photoelectric conversion element is positioned at least at two of the sides of the wall surface of the through-hole.

12. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 10, wherein the wall surface of the through-hole has a tapered configuration.

13. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 10, wherein the end of the through-hole that opens at the first main surface has a larger dimension than the other end of the through-hole that opens at the second main surface.

14. The fluorescent sensor according to claim 10, wherein a second photoelectric conversion element is positioned on the second main surface.