Patent ID: 9588112
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: B82Y,G01N

Claim:
1. A sensor system for the detection of a parameter of interest that is related to target components in a sample, comprising: a) a sample chamber with a contact surface in which the sample can be provided, the contact surface being covered with acceptor chromophores or donor chromophores; b) a quantity of indicator particles that can be distributed in the sample and that do not directly or via target components bind to the contact surface; c) a sensor element configured to directly or implicitly measure a distance parameter indicative of a distribution of distances between indicator particles and the contact surface in a region adjacent to the contact surface, the sensor element including a light source arranged to emit an input light towards and onto the contact surface at an angle larger than a critical angle of total internal reflection (TIR) and a light detector arranged to detect one of (1) fluorescence of the indicator particles stimulated by an evanescent wave of the input light penetrating through the contact surface into the sample chamber and (2) frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) of the input light caused by at least one of scattering and absorption by the indicator particles; and a microprocessor or FPGA configured to estimate the parameter of interest from the distance parameter.