Palo Alto Research Center Inc.

Oliver Wolst

Peter Kiesel

Oliver Schmidt

Michael A Kneissl

Huangpin Ben Hsieh

H Ben Hsieh

A chip-size wavelength detector includes a film with laterally varying transmission properties and a position-sensitive detector. The film transmits a different wavelength as a function of lateral position across the film. The position of a spot of light transmitted through the film will shift, depending on the wavelength of the light. The shift is measured by the position-sensitive detector.

Using position-sensitive detectors for wavelength determination

An integrated circuit (IC) includes a photosensor array, some cells of which are reference cells that photosense throughout an application's energy range, while other cells of which are subrange cells that photosense within respective subranges. For example, the subrange cells can receive photons in their respective subranges from a transmission structure that has laterally varying properties, such as due to varying optical thickness. The reference cells may be uncoated or may also receive photons through a transmission structure such as a gray filter. Subrange cells and reference cells may be paired in adjacent lines across the array, such as rows. Where photon emanation can vary along a path, quantities of incident photons photosensed by subrange cells along the path can be adjusted based on quantities photosensed by their paired reference cells, such as with normalization.

Photosensing throughout energy range and in subranges

An improved method of analyzing target analytes in a sample is described. The method is based on anti-resonant guided optical waveguides which enables a strongly improved light-target interaction since the light can be guided within the target-containing medium. The light-target interaction can be monitored by many different means to determine characteristics of the target analyte. The anti-resonant waveguide concept is suitable for a large variety of characterization methods and combinations of them, since it is relatively unaffected by changes to both wavelength and film thickness.

Anti-resonant waveguide sensors

A sample detection system including an anti-resonant waveguide, including a sample having a first index of refraction, a top layer and a substrate surrounding the sample, where the top layer has a second index of refraction, and the substrate has a third index of refraction. The second index of refraction, and the third index of refraction are both greater than the first index of refraction. A detection device of the system includes a low power light source used to direct light into the sample and generate an anti-resonant optical mode in the sample, and an analyzing system to detect the interaction of the light propagating in the sample.

Growing community of inventors

Walzbachtal, Germany

Oliver Wolst