Patent ID: 9658222
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: B01L,G01N,G02B

Claim:
1. A cartridge for processing a sample, comprising: a planar waveguide with upper and lower planar surfaces defining an optical axis therebetween, the optical axis being perpendicular to a normal vector of the upper and lower planar surfaces, the upper planar surface having a plurality of capture molecules bound thereto; a cylindrical lens portion, coupled to the planar waveguide, for focusing and refracting a light beam propagating parallel to, but offset from, the optical axis such that the light beam couples into the planar waveguide and propagates therein along the optical axis at a non-zero, internal propagation angle β relative to the upper planar surface; and a sample chamber for positioning the sample in contact with the plurality of capture molecules such that a target analyte of the sample is detectable through (a) an assay involving the target analyte and the capture molecules and (b) evanescent illumination of the assay using the light beam within the planar waveguide; the cylindrical lens portion having: the cylindrical lens portion being configured to receive the light beam such that its center is offset from an apex of the cylindrical lens portion by a distance y, parallel to the normal vector, from an apex of the cylindrical lens portion to the center of the light beam, and the cylindrical lens portion being characterized by the equations