Patent ID: 7558446
Filing Date: 2009-07-07
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An evanescent field induced optical sensor for use as biosensor for detecting biological molecules, the optical sensor comprising: a transparent polymer substrate; and a thin transparent polymer waveguide coating at least a portion of the transparent polymer substrate, wherein the transparent polymer waveguide has a refractive index n of 1.4 to 1.79 the transparent polymer waveguide has a coupling grating recess structure for the coupling of light wave into the transparent polymer waveguide, a lower surface of the transparent polymer waveguide contacts the transparent polymer substrate, the transparent polymer substrate has a refractive index n of 1.29 to 1.69 and an upper surface of the polymer waveguide or optical sensor possess specific binding compounds to detect at least one specific chemical, wherein the lower surface of the waveguide possess at least one recess for enhancing the coupling of the light wave into the transparent polymer waveguide, wherein a depth of the at least one recess is less than the thickness of the transparent polymer waveguide and wherein the transparent polymer substrate engages into the at least one recess.