Miniaturized photoacoustic spectrometer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- a photoacoustic sensor including;
a sample chamber, wherein the sample chamber is a cavity in a hollow polygonal prism with a microphone component coupled to and enclosing a bottom end of the cavity and a light source coupled to an opening in a wall of the cavity;
an optical fiber in optical communication with the sample chamber;
a microphone comprising a microphone membrane in acoustic communication with the sample chamber;
the optical fiber configured to direct light to the sample chamber; and
an optical component configured to detect or transmit a light pattern from light incident on the microphone membrane.
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Abstract
A low-power miniaturized photoacoustic sensor uses an optical microphone made by semiconductor fabrication techniques, and optionally allows for all-optical communication to and from the sensor. This allows integration of the photoacoustic sensor into systems with special requirements, such as those that would be reactive in an electrical discharge condition. The photoacoustic sensor can also be operated in various other modes with wide application flexibility.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a photoacoustic sensor including; a sample chamber, wherein the sample chamber is a cavity in a hollow polygonal prism with a microphone component coupled to and enclosing a bottom end of the cavity and a light source coupled to an opening in a wall of the cavity; an optical fiber in optical communication with the sample chamber; a microphone comprising a microphone membrane in acoustic communication with the sample chamber; the optical fiber configured to direct light to the sample chamber; and an optical component configured to detect or transmit a light pattern from light incident on the microphone membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system comprising:
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a photoacoustic sensor including; a sample chamber, wherein the sample chamber is 1 mm2 to 10 mm2 in base area, and 1 mm to 10 mm in height; a first optical fiber configured to direct light to the sample chamber; and an optical microphone in acoustic and optical communication with the sample chamber, the optical microphone configured to be interrogated with at least a portion of the light from the sample chamber or from a second optical fiber; and a computing device in optical communication with the sensor through a third optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for photoacoustically analyzing an analyte in an environment, comprising:
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transmitting an optical signal; directing light from the optical signal to the analyte in a sample chamber; inducing an acoustic signal from the analyte, the acoustic signal causing a displacement of a microphone membrane; directing light onto the displaced microphone membrane, thereby inducing a light pattern; transmitting an optical output signal comprising data relating to the light pattern; detecting the light pattern with a photodetector and converting the light pattern to an electrical signal or detecting the acoustic signal with a piezoelectric microphone; and transmitting the electrical signal to an onboard integrated circuit for processing, wherein the data relating to the light pattern comprises processed data relating to the light pattern. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification