System and method for brewster angle straddle interferometry
First Claim
1. A sensor system for sensing at least one target in a medium, the system comprising:
- a receptor for the at least one target, the receptor comprising a silicon substrate and a translucent native oxide coating on the substrate, the coating having front and back surfaces and one or more adsorbates attached to the front surface of the coating, said one or more adsorbates being capable of recognizing the at least one target;
a source of p-polarized light positioned to direct at least a portion of the p-polarized light from the source toward the coating on the receptor in a manner effective to result in a condition of near perfect interference where reflectivity is less than 10−
3 in the absence of a target bound to the one or more adsorbates on the receptor, wherein the incident angle for one of the substrate/coating interface and the medium/coating interface is greater than its Brewster angle and the incident angle for the other interface is less than its Brewster angle; and
a detector positioned to measure the light reflected from the front and back surfaces of the coating, the detector identifying presence of at least one target based on a change in the measured reflected light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for biomolecular sensing are disclosed. The system includes a receptor for a target, a source of p-polarized light positioned to direct light toward the receptor in a manner effective to result in a condition of near perfect interference in the absence of target binding; and a detector positioned to measure any light reflected from the front and back surfaces of the coating. The receptor includes a substrate and a translucent coating on the substrate having front and back surfaces, wherein the incident angle for one of the substrate/coating interface and the medium/coating (probe) interface is greater than its Brewster angle and the incident angle for the other interface is less than its Brewster angle.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A sensor system for sensing at least one target in a medium, the system comprising:
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a receptor for the at least one target, the receptor comprising a silicon substrate and a translucent native oxide coating on the substrate, the coating having front and back surfaces and one or more adsorbates attached to the front surface of the coating, said one or more adsorbates being capable of recognizing the at least one target; a source of p-polarized light positioned to direct at least a portion of the p-polarized light from the source toward the coating on the receptor in a manner effective to result in a condition of near perfect interference where reflectivity is less than 10−
3 in the absence of a target bound to the one or more adsorbates on the receptor, wherein the incident angle for one of the substrate/coating interface and the medium/coating interface is greater than its Brewster angle and the incident angle for the other interface is less than its Brewster angle; anda detector positioned to measure the light reflected from the front and back surfaces of the coating, the detector identifying presence of at least one target based on a change in the measured reflected light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of inspecting a semiconductor wafer comprising:
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providing a semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate and a coating thereon; directing p-polarized light toward the semiconductor wafer in a manner effective to result in a condition of near perfect interference where reflectivity is less than 10−
3 in the absence of any debris on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the incident angle for one of the substrate/coating interface and the medium/coating interface is greater than its Brewster angle and the incident angle for the other interface is less than its Brewster angle; andmeasuring the light reflected from the interfaces of the semiconductor wafer at one or more locations over the surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the measuring of a change in the reflected light indicates the presence of debris on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification