Patent ID: 8253946

Claim:
A device for detecting and monitoring an oscillation of an analyte in a sample, comprising: (a) a first optical element having a transparent material and a first reflecting surface; (b) a second optical element positioned proximate to said first optical element and having a second reflecting surface free to deflect in response to a driving force and capable of oscillation over a range of frequencies; (c) a driving means controlled by a signal processor that generates a driving force to deflect said second reflecting surface; (d) an optical interferometer that senses deflections of said second reflecting surface by monitoring interference between light reflected from said first reflecting surface and light reflected from said second reflected surface; (e) an analyte-binding layer immobilized on said second reflecting surface; and (f) said signal processor that monitors oscillations of said second reflecting surface sensed by said optical interferometer, wherein said oscillations of said second reflecting surface in response to said driving force vary with analyte binding to said analyte-binding layer.