Patent ID: 7190445

Claim:
An optical sensor device for determining the presence or concentration of an analyte, comprising: a substrate; a light source for emitting light primarily of a preselected wavelength upon energization, mounted on a surface of said substrate; a light detector for detecting light incident thereon and generating an electrical signal responsive thereto, mounted on said surface adjacent to said light source; a waveguide formed over said light source and said light detector; an analyte-permeable indicator matrix disposed on an outer surface of said waveguide, said indicator matrix containing light-emitting indicator molecules whose light emission is attenuated or enhanced by the presence of analyte in said matrix, said indicator molecule being selected such that the wavelength emitted by the light source excites light emission in the indicator molecules; and a transparent fill-in material formed over said light source in a cavity in which said light source is located, wherein said transparent fill-in material has a refractive index that is substantially equal to the refractive index of said waveguide, such that said light source is in effect mounted within said waveguide; wherein said light detector generates an electrical signal responsive to light incident thereon emitted by said indicator molecules.