Optical sensor and optical process for the characterization of a chemical and/or bio-chemical substance

• US 7,867,448 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Artificial Sensing Instruments ASI AG
• Original Assignee: Artificial Sensing Instruments ASI AG
• Inventors: Tiefenthaler, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): TURK, NEIL N
• Application Number:
  US10/908,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20050201657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 422/82.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/552 Attenuated total reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/648 using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7743 the reagent-coated grating coupling light in or out of the waveguide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/805 Optical property
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis

Abstract

The optical sensor contains an optical waveguide (1) with a substrate (104), waveguiding material (105), a cover medium (106) and a waveguide grating structure (101-103). By means of a light source (2), light can be emitted to the waveguide grating structure (101-103) from the substrate side and/or from the cover medium side. (101-103). With means of detection (11), at least two differing light proportions (7-10) radiated from the waveguide (1) can be detected. For carrying out a measurement, the waveguide can be immovably fixed relative to the light source (2) and the means of detection (11). The waveguide grating structure (101-103) itself consists of one or several waveguide grating structure units (101-103), which if so required can be equipped with (bio-)chemo-sensitive layers. The sensor permits the generation of absolute measuring signals.

Claims

1. An optical sensor comprising an optical waveguide which includes a substrate, a waveguiding material, a cover medium and at least one waveguide grating structure, where each waveguide grating structure includes two sensing pads where one is a sensing pad and the other is a reference sensing pad, wherein said sensing pad is coated with a first chemo-sensitive layer to which a specific binding partner binds, and wherein said reference sensing pad is coated with a second chemo-sensitive layer to which the specific binding partner does not bind, wherein a well or a matrix of wells is arranged on the at least one waveguide grating structure or in the at least one waveguide grating structure.

2. The optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensing pad and the reference sensing pad are adjacent to one another.

3. The optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensing pad and the reference sensing pad are arranged at least partially in a distance from each other.

4. An optical sensor comprising an optical waveguide which includes a substrate, a waveguiding material, a cover medium and at least one waveguide grating structure, where each waveguide grating structure includes two sensing pads where one is a sensing pad and the other is a reference sensing pad, wherein said sensing pad is coated with a first chemo-sensitive layer to which a specific binding partner binds, and wherein said reference sensing pad is coated with a second chemo-sensitive layer to which the specific binding partner does not bind, wherein a flow-through cell or a matrix of flow through cells or a capillary vessel or a matrix of capillary vessels are arranged on the at least one waveguide grating structure or in the at least one waveguide grating structure.

5. The optical sensor according to claim 4, wherein the sensing pad and the reference sensing pad are adjacent to one another.

6. The optical sensor according to claim 4, wherein the sensing pad and the reference sensing pad are arranged at least partially in a distance from each other.