Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd.

Technion Research & Development Foundation Limited

Amir Sa'ar

Ester Segal

Joseph Shappir

Nissim Ben-Yosef

Josef Shappir

A system for detecting target elements such as bacteria in a host analyte, comprising a substrate with an ordered array of wells having diameters to fit the size of the targets. The substrate may be a periodic macro-PSi array structure (MPSiAS) illuminated with a broadband source. The reflected light spectrum diffracted from the substrate is optically analyzed to provide the effective optical depth of the wells. Fast Fourier Transform analysis may be used for the optical analysis. Entry of target elements into wells is detected by the change in the effective optical depths of the wells. Micro-organisms as large as bacteria and viruses having dimensions comparable with the wavelength of the illumination can thus be detected. Wells with an inner section impenetrable by the target cells enables compensation for environmental changes. The detection may be performed in real time, such that production line bacterial monitoring may be achieved.

Method and apparatus for bacterial monitoring

The present invention provides a silicon wave-guide (), with a silicon oxide cladding () on a silicon substrate (). At predetermined positions along the length of the wave-guide, are created metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) structures. A poly-silicon, or any other conductive layer (), is deposited and patterned above the upper cladding () and electrical contacts are made to the substrate (), the silicon wave-guide (), and the poly-silicon layer (). Upon the application of a potential difference between at least two of the layers from the group comprising the substrate (), the silicon wave-guide (), and the poly-silicon layer (), the free carrier concentration at the top and/or bottom layer of the silicon wave-guide () is changed by the electric field. The change in the electric field results in a change in the index of refraction, and the change in the index of refraction causes a change in the optical mode propagating in the waveguide (). The propagation is controlled by controlling the changes in the electric field, which can be enhanced by localized changes in the optical properties of the wave-guide () induced by ion implantation () or trapping of photo-carriers.

Growing community of inventors

Mevasseret Zion, Israel

Amir Sa'ar