Sensor

• US 7,430,039 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sugita, Mitsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): PERT, EVAN T
• Application Number:
  US10/527,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 356/39, 356/72, 257/414, 257/415, 257/467, 435/287.1, 372/92, 372/97
• US Class Current: 356/39
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 9/00 Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by using radiation-sensitive means, e.g. optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7723 Swelling part, also for adsorption sensor, i.e. without chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7776 Index
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/39 using tunable lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/552 Attenuated total reflection
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7746 the waveguide coupled to a cavity resonator
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1032 Coupling to elements comprising an optical axis that is not aligned with the optical axis of the active region
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1042 Optical microcavities, e.g. cavity dimensions comparable to the wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1075 Disk lasers with special modes, e.g. whispering gallery lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18383 with periodic active regions at nodes or maxima of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/423 having a vertical cavity

Abstract

Sensors are provided which enable detection with a high sensitivity in microchemistry and biochemical analysis by using devices integrated into a compact configuration and can be freely disposed on desired positions of a channel to perform detection.

A measuring apparatus for detecting information and outputting light according to the information, the apparatus comprising: an active layer for emitting light and a micro-optical cavity, wherein light emission is limited in the active layer due to the influence of the selection of a photoelectromagnetic field mode, the selection is made by the micro-optical cavity, the light emission and a degree of selection of a photoelectromagnetic field mode is changed according to an environmental condition of the micro-optical cavity, so that the light emission is changed and the environmental condition is measured according to a change in the light emission.

Claims

1. A sensor for detecting information and outputting light according to the information, the sensor comprising:

a micro-optical cavity of a micro-activity laser configured to change a degree of selection of a photoelectromagnetic field mode according to an environmental condition of the micro-optical cavity; and

an active layer integral to the micro-optical cavity of the micro-cavity laser from which light emission is limited by influence of selection of a photoelectromagnetic field mode of the micro-optical cavity,

wherein the light emission is changed according to a change in the environmental condition and the information is detected by the change in light emission.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed in a channel for flowing a fluid or near the channel.

3. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein enviromental condition is changed according to a solution flowing in the channel or a dissolved substance or solvent of the solution.

4. The sensor according to claim 3, wherein the channel is a microchannel having a dimension of 10 μ

m or more and a solution flowing in the channel forms a laminar flow on a predetermined position.

5. The sensor according to claim 3, wherein the enviromental condition is selected from the group consisting of a change in refractive index, light absorption, light scattering, a temperature change, and slight deformation of the micro-optical cavity of the sensor.

6. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the change in refractive index depends upon a concentration of the solvent.

7. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the change in refractive index depends upon a temperature of the solution.

8. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the light adsorption depends upon a concentration of the dissolved substance.

9. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the light scattering depends upon a concentration of the dissolved substance.

10. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the temperature change is caused by heat generated by a chemical reaction of the solution and/or the dissolved substance.

11. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the slight deformation of the sensors appears due to vibration caused by expansion and shrinkage resulting from a collision of the dissolved substance or a chemical reaction of a substance in the solution.

12. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the slight deformation of the sensor appears due to a pressure change by expansion and shrinkage resulting from a change in a flow rate of the solution or a chemical reaction of a substance in the solution.

13. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a surrounding part of the micro-optional cavity in the sensor is modified by an antigen or an antibody.

14. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a probe for generating mechanical deformation on the micro-optional cavity.

15. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a metal thin film between the micro-optical cavity and a detected substance.

16. A sensor array comprising a plurality of sensors, each according to claim 1 and collectively arranged juxtapositionally in a one- or two- dimensional array and outputting signals of juxtapositional light outputs from the sensors according to particular environmental information corresponding to the positions of each sensor.

17. A sensor using a microcavity laser having a micro-optical cavity and an active layer integral to the micro-optical cavity, wherein one of two supportingt substances capable of making specific binding with a substance to be detected is supported on a peripheral portion of the micro-optical cavity, and a specific binding state of the substance to be detected with the supporting substance is detected based on a laser oscillation state of detected laser light.

18. A sensor system, wherein the sensors of claim 17 are juxtapositionally arranged on a common substrate and plural kinds of substances to be detected are juxtapositionally detected by using a plurality of microcavity lasers juxtapositionally arranged.

19. The sensor according to claim 17, wherein a kind of a substance to be detected is detected according to a change in a laser oscillation mode of the microcavity, a peripheral portion of which supports plural kinds of the supporting substance, the supporting substances corresponding to plural kinds of the substance to be detected.

20. A sensor comprising a micro-optical cavity of a microcavity laser and a probe for generating mechanical deformation of the micro-optical cavity,

wherein a state of the mechanical deformation is detected by measuring a change in laser oscillation state, the change being caused by deformation of the micro-optical cavity by the probe.

21. The sensor according to claim 20, wherein the probe supports one two supportig substances capable of making specific binding with the substance to be detected, and modulation of mechanical deformation of the micro-optical cavity through the probe is detected from a change in the laser oscillation state, which change is based on a resistance against ambient fluid and/or a change in weight of the probe by the specific binding.