Patent ID: 8506887
Filing Date: 2013-08-13
Classification: B82Y,G01N,G02B

Abstract:
1. A sensor for sensing at least one biological target or chemical target, comprising: a membrane consisting of essentially a single layer of porous material that supports generation and propagation of at least one waveguide mode, said single layer of porous material comprising a plurality of voids having an average size<2 microns; at least one receptor having structure for binding to said at least one of said biological target or said chemical target within said plurality of voids; an optical coupler for coupling light to said membrane sufficient to generate said waveguide mode in said membrane from photons incident on said optical coupler, the optical coupler selected from the group consisting of a prism and a grating; and a cladding separating the membrane and the optical coupler, wherein the cladding is selected from the group consisting of an ambient gas layer, a liquid buffer layer, and a layer of polyvinyl formal.