Planar optical waveguide with core of low-index-of-refraction interrogation medium
First Claim
1. A sample cartridge comprising:
- a first substrate formed of a first material and a second substrate formed of a second material that is different from the first material, the second substrate having an inner surface facing the first substrate;
the first and second substrates being spaced apart from each other to partly define a volume for confining a sample therein,the second substrate further comprising a refractive element that couples external collimated light propagating parallel to the inner surface of the second substrate and offset from an optical axis of the second substrate, through the inner surface of the second substrate and to the first substrate to illuminate at least a portion of the sample.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for illuminating a sample includes a planar waveguide. The planar waveguide includes a first substrate, including a first outer surface and a first inner surface, and a second substrate, including a second outer surface and a second inner surface. The first and second inner surfaces of the first and second substrates, respectively, are spaced apart from each other and partly define a volume for confining the sample therein. The apparatus also includes a light source for providing light directed toward the planar waveguide, such that the light is optically coupled to and contained within the planar waveguide between the outer surfaces of the first and second substrates, while illuminating at least a portion of the sample confined within the volume.
91 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A sample cartridge comprising:
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a first substrate formed of a first material and a second substrate formed of a second material that is different from the first material, the second substrate having an inner surface facing the first substrate; the first and second substrates being spaced apart from each other to partly define a volume for confining a sample therein, the second substrate further comprising a refractive element that couples external collimated light propagating parallel to the inner surface of the second substrate and offset from an optical axis of the second substrate, through the inner surface of the second substrate and to the first substrate to illuminate at least a portion of the sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A cartridge for illuminating a sample with a light beam from a light source, the cartridge comprising:
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a first substrate including a first outer surface and a first inner surface, and a second substrate including a second outer surface and a second inner surface in a planar region along an optical axis thereof, the first and second inner surfaces being spaced apart from each other to form a planar waveguide and partly defining a volume for confining the sample therein; the second substrate further including a cylindrical lens portion for refracting the light beam into the waveguide, the cylindrical lens portion being outwardly convex from the second outer surface and having a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to a normal vector of the waveguide; such that when the light source directs the light beam toward the cylindrical lens portion in a propagation direction that is parallel to and offset from the optical axis, the light beam optically couples to and is contained within the waveguide between the outer surfaces of the first and second substrates, while illuminating at least a portion of the sample confined within the volume. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for illuminating a sample, the apparatus comprising:
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a waveguide including a first substrate including a first outer surface and a first inner surface, one of the first outer surface and the first inner surface comprising a reflective layer, a second substrate including a second outer surface and a second inner surface, the first and second inner surface of the first and second substrates, respectively, being spaced apart from each other and partly defining a volume for confining the sample therein; and a light source for directing collimated light toward the waveguide, at an angle parallel to and offset from the second inner surface, such that the light optically couples to, and is contained within, the waveguide at and between the reflective layer and the second outer surface, while illuminating at least a portion of the sample confined within the volume; wherein the waveguide and the light source cooperate to uniformly illuminate the portion of the sample. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification