Method for texturing surfaces of optical fiber sensors used for blood glucose monitoring

• US 7,308,164 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Banks, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAK, SUNG H
• Application Number:
  US11/398,734
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 385/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7706 Reagent provision
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/772 Tip coated light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7703 using reagent-clad optical fibres or optical waveguides using measurement of total internal reflection or attenuated total reflection G01N21/552; optical fibres or waveguides per se G02B

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and the resulting product thereof comprising a solid light-conducting fiber with a point of attachment and having a textured surface site consisting a textured distal end prepared by being placed in a vacuum and then subjected to directed hyperthermal beams comprising oxygen ions or atoms. The textured distal end comprises cones or pillars that are spaced upon from each other by less than 1 micron and are extremely suitable to prevent cellular components of blood from entering the valleys between the cones or pillars so as to effectively separate the cellular components in the blood from interfering with optical sensing of the glucose concentration for diabetic patients.

Claims

1. A method of producing a solid light-conducting fiber used in the analysis of a blood comprising the steps of:

a) placing at least one solid light-conducting fiber with a point of attachment and having a distal end in a vacuum source; and

b) subjecting said distal end to directed hyperthermal beams comprising oxygen ions or atoms.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said vacuum source supplies a pressure of less than about 1×

10<sup>−

5</sup> while said distal end is being subjected to said directed hyperthermal beams comprising oxygen ions or atoms.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said directed hyperthermal beams have an energy level that is in the range from about greater than 1 eV to about 100 eV.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said directed hyperthermal beams is in the range from about 50 eV to about 100 eV.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said directed hyperthermal beams comprising oxygen ions or atoms are provided from a source selected from the group consisting of an End Hall source, an electron bombardment ion source, a microwave plasma source and an arc source.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said selected source and said distal end are spaced apart from each other by a distance in the range from about 3 cm to about 200 cm.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said at least one solid light-conducting fiber comprises a plurality arranged in a bundle and each having a distal end.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said source is an End Hall source having a hollow cathode and separated from said distal ends of said bundle by a distance in the range from about 3 cm to about 200 cm.

8. A method of producing a solid light-conducting fiber used in the analysis of a blood comprising the steps of:

a) placing a plurality of light-conducting fibers arranged in a bundle in a vacuum source, each light-conducting fiber having a point of attachment and a distal end; and

b) subjecting said distal end to directed hyperthermal beams comprising oxygen ions or atoms, wherein said directed hyperthermal beams comprising oxygen ions or atoms are provided from a source selected from the group consisting of an End Hall source, an electron bombardment ion source, a microwave plasma source and an arc source and, wherein said selected source and said bundle have a shield interposed therebetween and wherein said selected source and said distal ends of said bundle are spaced apart from each other by a distance in the range from about 3 cm to about 200 cm.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said shield is selected from the group consisting of a water-cooled shield and multilayer insulation shield.