Providing light to channels or portions
First Claim
1. A method of sensing photons emanating from a channel portion defined in a fluidic structure, the channel portion extending a length in a longitudinal direction and having, at each position along its length, a respective cross section;
- in each position'"'"'s cross section, the channel portion having a boundary along most of which it is surrounded by material with higher refractive index than a fluid in the channel portion would have;
the fluidic structure including an end component at an end of the channel portion, the end component including a light-transmissive portion;
the fluidic structure further including a light-transmissive component that extends in the longitudinal direction along at least part of the channel portion'"'"'s boundary and beyond the end component to a projection of the channel portion;
the method comprising;
with fluid in the channel portion, propagating light in the longitudinal direction through the channel portion so that, in cross sections along a part of the length, more than approximately 10% of light intensity from the propagated light occurs in the fluid;
the act of propagating light including;
providing light from a source outside the channel portion through the light-transmissive component beyond the end component, through the projection of the channel portion, and through the light-transmissive portion of the end component;
the light from the source entering the channel portion in a direction oblique to the longitudinal direction; and
photosensing photons emanating from the channel portion in response to the propagated light.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluidic structure includes a channel, a portion of which can contain fluid. Light can propagate in the portion, such as in response to illumination. The refractive index of material at the portion'"'"'s boundary can be higher than that of the fluid, and more than approximately 10% of intensity of light propagating longitudinally occurs in the fluid, possibly approximately 90%. An IC can be positioned along the portion, with a set of cells of a photosensor array on the IC sensing photons emanating in response to the propagating light. The light can enter through a light-transmissive component along the channel'"'"'s boundary, then pass obliquely through a portion of the channel that contains air before passing through a bounding component and obliquely into the portion that can contain fluid. The light can couple to an anti-resonant waveguide mode.
151 Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A method of sensing photons emanating from a channel portion defined in a fluidic structure, the channel portion extending a length in a longitudinal direction and having, at each position along its length, a respective cross section;
- in each position'"'"'s cross section, the channel portion having a boundary along most of which it is surrounded by material with higher refractive index than a fluid in the channel portion would have;
the fluidic structure including an end component at an end of the channel portion, the end component including a light-transmissive portion;
the fluidic structure further including a light-transmissive component that extends in the longitudinal direction along at least part of the channel portion'"'"'s boundary and beyond the end component to a projection of the channel portion;
the method comprising;with fluid in the channel portion, propagating light in the longitudinal direction through the channel portion so that, in cross sections along a part of the length, more than approximately 10% of light intensity from the propagated light occurs in the fluid;
the act of propagating light including;providing light from a source outside the channel portion through the light-transmissive component beyond the end component, through the projection of the channel portion, and through the light-transmissive portion of the end component;
the light from the source entering the channel portion in a direction oblique to the longitudinal direction; andphotosensing photons emanating from the channel portion in response to the propagated light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- in each position'"'"'s cross section, the channel portion having a boundary along most of which it is surrounded by material with higher refractive index than a fluid in the channel portion would have;
-
7. Apparatus comprising:
-
a fluidic structure; defined within the fluidic structure, a channel portion that can contain fluid;
the channel portion extending a length in a longitudinal direction and having, in each position along its length, a respective cross section;
in each position'"'"'s cross section, the channel portion having a boundary along most of which it is surrounded by material with higher refractive index than the fluid;an end component in the fluidic structure at an end of the channel portion, the end component including a light-transmissive portion; included in the fluidic structure, a light-transmissive component that extends in the longitudinal direction along at least part of the channel portion'"'"'s boundary and beyond the end component to a projection of the channel portion; and an illumination component that provides light that propagates through the channel portion in the longitudinal direction;
in cross sections along a part of the length, more than approximately 10% of light intensity from the propagating light occurring in the fluid in the channel portion;
the illumination component including a source that provides light from outside the channel portion;
the source providing light through the light-transmissive component beyond the end component, through the projection of the channel portion, and through the light-transmissive portion of the end component;
the light from the source entering the channel portion in a direction oblique to the longitudinal direction. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. Apparatus comprising:
-
a fluidic structure; and defined within the fluidic structure, a channel extending in a longitudinal direction;
the fluidic structure including a light-transmissive bounding component between first and second portions of the channel;
the fluidic structure further having defined therein at least two ports through which fluid can enter and exit the first portion;the bounding component being positioned so that light can enter the second portion at a first angle oblique to the longitudinal direction, pass through the bounding component, and enter the first portion of the channel at a second angle oblique to the longitudinal direction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. Apparatus comprising:
-
a fluidic structure; defined within the fluidic structure, a channel portion that can contain fluid;
the channel portion extending a length in a longitudinal direction and having, in each position along its length, a respective cross section;
in each position'"'"'s cross section, the channel portion having a boundary along most of which it is surrounded by material with higher refractive index than the fluid;an illumination component that provides light that propagates through the channel portion in the longitudinal direction;
in cross sections along a part of the length, more than approximately 10% of light intensity from the propagating light occurring in the fluid in the channel portion;one or more spacers on the fluidic structure outside the channel portion; and a sensing component with an IC that includes a photosensor array with a set of cells along the channel portion;
the set of cells sensing photons emanating from the channel portion in response to the propagating light;
the sensing component being supported on a set of one or more of the spacers with sufficient separation between the sensing component and the fluidic structure that the sensing component does not interfere with propagation of light in the channel portion. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. Apparatus comprising:
-
a fluidic structure; and defined within the fluidic structure, a channel extending in a longitudinal direction between first and second ends at both of which the channel is enclosed;
the fluidic structure including, between the first and second ends, a light-transmissive bounding component separating first and second portions of the channel;
the fluidic structure further having defined therein at least two ports between the bounding component and the first end through which fluid can enter and exit the first portion;
the second portion containing air, gas, or vacuum between the bounding component and the second end;the bounding component being positioned so that light propagating through the second portion at a first angle oblique to the longitudinal direction can pass through the bounding component and enter the first portion of the channel at a second angle oblique to the longitudinal direction;
the second angle being smaller than the first angle,an IC that includes a photosensor array with a set of cells along the channel portion;
the set of cells sensing photons emanating from the channel portion in response to the propagating light. - View Dependent Claims (35)
-
Specification