Patent ID: 11940386
Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A method for monitoring a sample for at least one analyte, the method comprising:
placing the sample in contact with a sensing portion of an optical waveguide and directing light having a fixed wavelength through the optical waveguide, wherein contact of the analyte with the waveguide alters a phase shift of the light effected by the sensing portion of the optical waveguide;
modulating a phase shift of the light effected by a phase shift portion of the waveguide distinct from the sensing portion of the waveguide;
monitoring an intensity of the light relative to the phase shift of the light effected by the phase shift portion of the waveguide; and
wherein the sensing portion of the optical waveguide is part of a first one of a plurality of sensors connected in a cascade and the method comprises using an optical detector common to the plurality of sensors to monitor the intensity of the light relative to a corresponding phase shift of the light effected by the corresponding phase shift portion of the waveguide for each of the plurality of sensors.