Optical chemical sensor and method using same employing a multiplicity of fluorophores contained in the free volume of a polymeric optical waveguide or in pores of a ceramic waveguide
First Claim
1. A chemical sensor apparatus comprising an optical waveguide, fluorophores positioned in the waveguide, a light source for exciting the fluorophores and generating fluorescence signals, and a detector positioned near the waveguide for sensing the fluorescence signals, wherein the optical waveguide further comprises a substrate layer and a porous overlying layer, the porous overlying layer containing the fluorophores, and wherein the substrate layer has a lower refractive index than the overlying layer.
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Abstract
A fluorescent sensor for chemical analysis has a light source, an optical waveguide, and a detector. Fluorophores are associated with the optical waveguide. When an impervious waveguide is used, a fluorophore-containing layer is applied to a surface of the waveguide. The fluorophores are excited by a laser, a light emitting diode, an electroluminescent source or a lamp source emitting light propagating at angles to the waveguide. The light source is modulated. A mirror can be used to direct the light beam. The angle of light incidence on the waveguide can be altered by moving the waveguide itself. The waveguide traps the laser-induced fluorescence and projects fluorescence signals through a suitable filter to a photodetector or otherwise wavelength-specific photodetector positioned near the waveguide structure. Remote operation of the sensor is achieved using optical fibers. Patterned waveguides allow multiple excitation sources to illuminate multiple fluorescent probe materials. The change in fluorescence from each fluorophore is sensed as a vector response which is evaluated using digital signal processing. The sensor uses steady state fluorescence and fluorescence decay information to determine identity and concentration of analytes of interest. The invention is used for chemical analysis of gases or of liquid materials.
129 Citations
30 Claims
- 1. A chemical sensor apparatus comprising an optical waveguide, fluorophores positioned in the waveguide, a light source for exciting the fluorophores and generating fluorescence signals, and a detector positioned near the waveguide for sensing the fluorescence signals, wherein the optical waveguide further comprises a substrate layer and a porous overlying layer, the porous overlying layer containing the fluorophores, and wherein the substrate layer has a lower refractive index than the overlying layer.
- 7. A chemical sensor apparatus comprising an optical waveguide, fluorophores positioned in the waveguide, a light source for exciting the fluorophores and generating fluorescence signals, and a detector positioned near the waveguide for sensing the fluorescence signals, wherein the detector comprises an array of photodetectors.
- 11. A chemical sensor apparatus comprising an optical waveguide, fluorophores positioned in the waveguide, a light source for exciting the fluorophores and generating fluorescence signals, and a detector positioned near the waveguide for sensing the fluorescence signals, wherein the waveguide has at least two regions of differing fluorophores in different host materials.
- 20. A chemical sensor apparatus comprising an optical waveguide, fluorophores positioned in the waveguide, a light source for exciting the fluorophores and generating fluorescence signals, and a detector positioned near the waveguide for sensing the fluorescence signals, wherein the detector comprises at least two photodetectors, and wherein a first photodetector is positioned near the waveguide for detecting reflected light, and a second photodetector is positioned above the waveguide for detecting fluorescence signals.
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22. A chemical sensor apparatus comprising an optical waveguide, fluorophores positioned in the waveguide, a light source for exciting the fluorophores and generating fluorescence signals, and a detector positioned near the waveguide for sensing the fluorescence signals, wherein the optical waveguide further comprises a substrate layer and an impervious overlying layer, the impervious overlying layer containing fluorophores, and wherein the substrate layer has a lower refractive index than the overlying layer, and further comprising a coating layer positioned over the impervious layer of the waveguide, the coating layer containing fluorophores that fluoresce upon excitation from signals emitted from fluorophores in the impervious layer that interact with a chemical analyte.
- 23. A chemical sensor apparatus comprising an optical waveguide, fluorophores positioned in the waveguide, a light source for exciting the fluorophores and generating fluorescence signals, and a detector positioned near the waveguide for sensing the fluorescence signals, further comprising an input port on the waveguide, an output port on the waveguide, a first optical fiber optically coupled to the waveguide at the input port for delivering light signals to the waveguide, and a second optical fiber optically coupled to the waveguide at the output port for collecting the fluorescence signals.
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29. A chemical sensor apparatus comprising an optical waveguide, fluorophores positioned in the waveguide, a light source for exciting the fluorophores and generating fluorescence signals, and a detector positioned near the waveguide for sensing the fluorescence signals, wherein the waveguide has first and second opposite surfaces and further comprising dielectric layers deposited on the first surface and on the second surface of the waveguide, a coating layer positioned on a top dielectric layer, and a substrate positioned below a bottom dielectric layer, and wherein the dielectric layers serve as dielectric mirrors.
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30. A method for identifying and measuring concentration of a chemical analyte in either gaseous or liquid phase comprising exciting fluorophores associated with an optical waveguide by using a modulated light source and creating fluorescence signals;
- trapping the fluorescence signals in the waveguide;
transmitting the fluorescence signals from the optical waveguide;
detecting the fluorescence signals;
collecting the fluorescence signals;
determining lifetime of the fluorescence signals; and
converting the fluorescence signals to electronic signals, further comprising propagating the fluorescence signals from the waveguide through an internal grating structure, further comprising propagating a collimated beam from the light source, converting the beam to multiple beams, and directing the multiple beams on multiple fluorophore/host regions in the optical waveguide.
- trapping the fluorescence signals in the waveguide;
Specification