Obtaining information from optical cavity output light
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- a photosensing component that, in use, photosenses output light from an optical cavity that provides light in a set of one or more modes;
for one or more of the modes in the set, the output light including a respective intensity function;
the intensity function of at least one of the modes including information about an optical absorption characteristic of an analyte present in the optical cavity or of a region of the optical cavity;
in response to the output light, the photosensing component providing electrical signals that depend on the optical absorption characteristic; and
an information obtaining component that uses the electrical signals to obtain information about the analyte or the region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Output light from an optical cavity includes, for each of a set of modes, an intensity function, and a mode'"'"'s intensity function includes information, such as about an optical characteristic of an analyte or of a region. For example, the intensity function can include a peak, and its central energy, maximum intensity, contrast, or intermediate intensity width (e.g. FWHM) can indicate the optical characteristic. The output light can be photosensed, providing electrical signals that depend on the optical characteristic. Information about the analyte or region can then be obtained using the electrical signals. For example, the information can be about both refractive index and absorption of an analyte. Cavity-only absorption values, independent, for example, of absorption outside the cavity and of inhomogeneous illumination, can be obtained based on contrast or intermediate intensity width. For detection of glucose in bodily fluid, derivatives of absorption can be obtained.
146 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a photosensing component that, in use, photosenses output light from an optical cavity that provides light in a set of one or more modes;
for one or more of the modes in the set, the output light including a respective intensity function;
the intensity function of at least one of the modes including information about an optical absorption characteristic of an analyte present in the optical cavity or of a region of the optical cavity;
in response to the output light, the photosensing component providing electrical signals that depend on the optical absorption characteristic; andan information obtaining component that uses the electrical signals to obtain information about the analyte or the region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of using optical cavities;
- the method comprising;
photosensing output light from an optical cavity that provides light in a set of one or more modes;
for one or more of the modes in the set, the output light including a respective intensity function;
the intensity function of at least one of the modes including information about an optical characteristic of an analyte carried by fluid through a succession of positions in the optical cavity or about a changeable optical characteristic of a region of the optical cavity;
the act of photosensing output light comprising;providing electrical signals that depend on the optical characteristic of the analyte or on the changeable optical characteristic of the region and using the electrical signals to obtain information about the analyte or the region. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- the method comprising;
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19. A method of using optical cavities;
- the method comprising;
photosensing output light from an optical cavity that provides light in a set of one or more modes;
for one or more of the modes in the set, the output light including a respective intensity function;
the intensity function of at least one of the modes including information about an optical characteristic of an analyte present in the optical cavity or of a region of the optical cavity;
the act of photosensing output light comprising;providing electrical signals that depend on the optical characteristic; and using the electrical signals to obtain information about the analyte or the region;
the intensity function of a first one of the modes including a respective intensity peak;
the act of using the electrical signals comprising obtaining information about at least one of;a central energy of the first mode'"'"'s intensity peak; contrast of the first mode'"'"'s intensity peak; an intermediate intensity width of the first mode'"'"'s intensity peak; and a maximum intensity of the first mode'"'"'s intensity peak. - View Dependent Claims (20)
- the method comprising;
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21. A system comprising:
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a photosensing component that, in use, photosenses output light from a sample optical cavity that provides output light in a set of one or more modes, each having a respective intensity function;
a fluid sample being present in the optical cavity;
in response to the output light, the photosensing component providing electrical signals that depend on whether an analyte is present in the fluid sample;
if the analyte is present, an optical characteristic of the analyte affecting the respective intensity function of at least one of the modes in the set, the electrical signals indicating a feature of the intensity function; andan information obtaining component that uses the electrical signals to obtain information about presence of the analyte in the fluid sample. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method of using optical cavities;
- the method comprising;
photosensing output light from an optical cavity that provides output light in a set of one or more modes, each having a respective intensity function;
a sample being present in the optical cavity;
the act of photosensing output light comprising;providing electrical signals that depend on whether an analyte is present in the sample;
if the analyte is present, an optical absorption characteristic of the analyte affecting the respective intensity function of at least one of the modes in the set, the electrical signals indicating a feature of the intensity function; andusing the electrical signals to obtain information about presence of the analyte in the sample. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- the method comprising;
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27. A method of using optical cavities;
- the method comprising;
photosensing output light from an optical cavity that provides light in a set of one or more modes;
for one or more of the modes in the set, the output light including a respective intensity function;
the intensity function of at least one of the modes including information about an optical characteristic of an analyte present in the optical cavity or of a region of the optical cavity;
the act of photosensing output light comprising;providing electrical signals that depend on the optical characteristic; and using the electrical signals to obtain information about the analyte or the region;
the act of using the electrical signals comprising at least one of;obtaining information about both refractive index and optical absorption; obtaining two or more refractive index values and using the refractive index values to obtain a dispersion value; and obtaining cavity-only absorption data. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
- the method comprising;
Specification