Patent ID: 7285420

Claim:
A method for self-referencing a sensor associated with a micron-sized deep flow channel, said method comprising the steps of: directing an optical beam at said sensor which has a single sensing region divided into a detection region and a reference region which are contiguous to one another and which are respectively interfaced with a sample solution and a reference solution that flow side-by-side to one another in a longitudinal direction within said micron-sized deep flow channel; receiving an output optical beam from said sensor; analyzing the output optical beam to determine a detection signal associated with the sample solution flowing in the detection region of said sensor and to determine a reference signal associated with the reference solution flowing in the reference region of said sensor; and subtracting the reference signal from the detection signal to generate a corrected detection signal, wherein uncertainties in the detection signal due to environmental conditions and noise generated by components in an interrogation system are reduced in the corrected detection signal.