Device for investigating non-linear optical behavior of a layer formed from first and second reactants

• US 6,274,085 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Barmentlo, Maarten, Hollering, Robertus W. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SNAY, JEFFREY R
• Application Number:
  US09/393,943
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 422/82.05, 422/82.08, 436/524-527, 436/164, 436/172, 436/805
• US Class Current: 422/82.05
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/63 optically excited
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/75 Systems in which material is subjected to a chemical reaction, the progress or the result of the reaction being investigated systems in which material is burnt in a flame or plasma G01N21/72, G01N21/73
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/805 Optical property

Abstract

A method and a device for optically ascertaining the mutual binding of a first and a second reactant are described. Use is made of the fact that a dipolar layer (7) having a non-linear optical behavior is formed upon a reaction between the two reactants. The formation of such a layer is ascertained by illuminating the substance with radiation (8) having one or two frequencies, and by detecting whether radiation (10) from the substance contains a component at a frequency which is twice the frequency, or a mixed term of the frequency of the radiation incident on the substance.

Claims

1. A device for ascertaining one of:

a presence and absence of a binding of a first reactant and a second reactant, wherein upon binding, the first and second reactants form a dipolar layer which displays a non-linear optical behavior at an interface formed between the mutually bound first and second reactants, the device comprising;

a rectangular housing,

a transparent sample holder disposed on a wall of said rectangular housing to accommodate the first and the second reactant,

a radiation source for supplying a radiation beam having at least one discrete frequency, to irradiate the transparent sample holder,

a detection system for detecting radiation returned from the transparent sample holder having a frequency which differs essentially from said at least one discrete frequency indicating the presence of said dipolar layer, which presence is a result of said binding, wherein the wall of the rectangular housing, within which said radiation source and detection system reside, includes a transparent section which faces the radiation source and detecting system whereupon said transparent sample holder is disposed to be irradiated by said radiation beam.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a lens system is arranged between the support and a radiation-sensitive element of the detection system.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the detection system comprises successively a filter which passes only radiation into an electric signal.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the detection system comprises a radiation-sensitive element which converts radiation into an electric signal, proceeded by a luminescent element which converts the radiation having the changed frequency and coming from the holder into radiation having a frequency to which said radiation-sensitive element is sensitive.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the radiation source comprises a diode laser.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the radiation-sensitive element comprises a photodiode.