Fiber sensor and fiber sensor device

• US 7,729,565 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2005
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Izumo, Masaki, Ando, Takayuki, Koaizawa, Hisashi, Tsukii, Ken, Shigematu, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, ELLEN E
• Application Number:
  US11/791,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20080093541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 385/12, 385 88- 92, 250/227.11, 356/246, 356/445
• US Class Current: 385/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/474 Details of optical heads therefor, e.g. using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/553 and using surface plasmons fluorescence excitation G01N21/648; enhanced Raman G01N21/658
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/554 detecting the surface plasmon resonance of nanostructured metals, e.g. localised surface plasmon resonance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/76 Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/08 Optical fibres; light guides

Abstract

A fiber sensor comprising: an optical waveguide unit having a measurement surface formed at an end of an optical waveguide; and a channel unit through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object to be measured by contact with the measurement surface, is caused to flow in and out via a specimen channel, wherein the optical waveguide is fixed to the optical waveguide unit such that the measurement surface forms a part of a channel wall surface of the channel unit, and the optical waveguide unit is provided so as to be detachable from the channel unit.

Claims

1. A fiber sensor comprising:

an optical waveguide unit having a measurement surface formed at an end of an optical waveguide; and

a channel unit through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object to be measured by contact with the measurement surface, is caused to flow in and out via a specimen channel;

wherein

the optical waveguide is fixed to the optical waveguide unit such that the measurement surface forms a part of a channel wall surface of the channel unit; and

the optical waveguide unit is arranged so as to be detachable from the channel unit.

6. The fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide unit and the channel unit are connected by means of a connector structure having a positioning pin so that the specimen channel is formed.

7. The fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide unit has a flow-in and flow-out channel formed therein, through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object, or a detergent is caused to flow in and out of the channel unit.

8. The fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide unit is provided with a capillary through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object, or a detergent is caused to flow in and out of the channel unit.

9. The fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein a ligand layer is formed on the measurement surface in order that a specimen, serving as a measurement object, is supplied thereto.

10. The fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein the measurement surface is formed by means of a plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor.

2. A fiber sensor comprising:

an optical waveguide unit having a measurement surface formed at an end of an optical waveguide; and

a channel unit through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object to be measured by contact with the measurement surface, is caused to flow in and out via a specimen channel;

wherein the optical waveguide is arranged such that the measurement surface forms a part of a channel wall surface of the channel unit; and

the optical waveguide comprises at least one optical waveguide.

3. The fiber sensor according to claim 2, wherein the optical waveguide of the optical waveguide unit is arranged in an m×

n structure at an arbitrary interval.

4. A fiber sensor comprising:

a first optical waveguide unit having a measurement surface formed at an end of an optical waveguide;

a detecting unit for detecting light information supplied from the measurement surface; and

a channel unit through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object to be measured by contact with the measurement surface, is caused to flow in and out via a specimen channel, wherein

the optical waveguide is arranged in the first optical waveguide unit such that the measurement surface forms a part of a channel wall surface of the channel unit, and

the light information is provided by any of transmitted light, reflected light, fluorescent light and chemiluminescence from the measurement surface.

5. A fiber sensor comprising:

a first optical waveguide unit having a measurement surface formed at an end of an optical waveguide;

a detecting unit for detecting light information supplied from the measurement surface;

a second optical waveguide unit for transmitting light to the measurement surface; and

a channel unit through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object to be measured by contact with the measurement surface, is caused to flow in and out via a specimen channel;

wherein

the optical waveguide is arranged in the first optical waveguide unit such that the measurement surface forms a part of a channel wall surface of the channel unit; and

the optical information is provided by any of transmitted light, reflected light, and fluorescent light from the measurement surface.

11. A fiber sensor apparatus comprising:

A fiber sensor comprising;

an optical waveguide unit having a measurement surface formed at an end of an optical waveguide; and

a channel unit through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object to be measured by contact with the measurement surface, is caused to flow in and out via a specimen channel;

wherein

the optical waveguide is fixed to the optical waveguide unit such that the measurement surface forms a part of a channel wall surface of the channel unit; and

the optical waveguide unit is arranged so as to be detachable from the channel unit;

at least one light source for supplying measuring light to be projected onto the measurement surface via the optical waveguide unit; and

at least one light detecting unit for detecting light information supplied from the measurement surface.

12. The fiber sensor apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the light detecting unit includes switching means for switching the light information from the measurement surface in terms of time or space.

14. The fiber sensor apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the switching means performs the switching by time-dividing an electric signal supplied from the detecting unit.

15. The fiber sensor apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the switching is performed by time-dividing a light signal supplied to the detecting unit.

13. A fiber sensor apparatus comprising:

A fiber sensor comprising;

an optical waveguide unit having a measurement surface formed at an end of an optical waveguide; and

a channel unit through which a specimen, serving as a measurement object to be measured by contact with the measurement surface, is caused to flow in and out via a specimen channel;

wherein

the optical waveguide is fixed to the optical waveguide unit such that the measurement surface forms a part of a channel wall surface of the channel unit; and

the optical waveguide unit is arranged so as to be detachable from the channel unit;

at least one light source for supplying measuring light to be projected onto the measurement surface via the optical waveguide unit; and

at least one light detecting unit for detecting light information supplied from the measurement surface;

wherein the light detecting unit includes switching means for switching the light information from the measurement surface in terms of time or space;

wherein the switching means includes a driving unit for rotating or moving one of more light shielding plates having one or more holes formed therein.

16. A measuring method for use in a fiber sensor apparatus, the measuring method comprising the steps of:

supplying light from a single light source to a plurality of optical waveguides;

concurrently projecting the light transmitted from the optical waveguides onto a plurality of measurement surfaces formed in a specimen channel;

switching, in terms of time or space, light information in any of transmitted light reflected light, and fluorescent light that is emitted from the light projected measurement surfaces; and

detecting the switched light information by means of a single light detecting unit;

wherein the switching uses a driving unit for rotating or moving one or more light shielding plates having one or more holes formed therein.