Sensor apparatus and method based on wavelength centroid detection
View Patent ↗Sensor material is arranged to interact with input light and to asymmetrically alter a spectral distribution of the input light in response to presence of an external stimulus. A detector is configured to sense the altered input light and to generate at least one electrical signal comprising information about a shift in the centroid of a spectral distribution of the altered input light relative to a centroid of the spectral distribution of the input light.
1. A system, comprising:
an analyte-specific sensor material arranged to interact with input light and to asymmetrically alter a spectral distribution of the input light in response to presence of a specific analyte; and
a detector configured to sense the altered input light and to generate at least one electrical signal comprising information about a shift in the centroid of a spectral distribution of the altered input light relative to a centroid of the spectral distribution of the input light in response to presence of the specific analyte.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analyte-specific sensor material has an absorption spectrum that is non-centered with respect to an illumination spectrum of a light source that produces the input light.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analyte-specific sensor material has a fluorescence spectrum that is non-centered with respect to an illumination spectrum of a light source that produces the input light.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analyzer is configured to determine a magnitude of the shift in the centroid of the altered input light.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analyte-specific sensor material is situated at the detector.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the input light is produced by a light emitting device; and
the analyte-specific sensor material is situated at the light emitting device.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the input light is produced by a light emitting device;
an optical wave guide is disposed between the light emitting device and the detector; and
the analyte-specific sensor material is situated on the optical wave guide.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light emitting device arranged to provide the input light;
wherein the light emitted by the light emitting device is spectrally shifted to produce the input light.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light emitting device arranged to provide the input light;
wherein the light emitted by the light emitting device is spectrally shifted by a phosphor to produce the input light.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the analyte-specific sensor material comprises an array of analyte-specific materials arranged to interact with the input light, each of the analyte-specific materials arranged to asymmetrically alter a spectral distribution of the input light in response to presence of a specific analyte associated with each of the analyte-specific materials; and
the detector is configured to determine shifts in each of the centroids of the altered input light relative to a centroid of the spectral distribution of the input light in response to presence of the specific analytes.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising an array of light emitting devices, each light emitting device emitting light associated with a particular analyte-specific material.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the light emitted by each light emitting device is spectrally shifted to produce the input light for a particular analyte-specific sensor material.
13. A system, comprising:
sensor material arranged to interact with input light and to asymmetrically alter a spectral distribution of the input light in response to presence of an external stimulus; and
a detector configured to sense the altered input light and to generate at least one electrical signal comprising information about a shift in the centroid of a spectral distribution of the altered input light relative to a centroid of the spectral distribution of the input light.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the analyzer is configured to determine a magnitude of the shift in the centroid of the altered input light.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the sensor material has an absorption spectrum that is non-centered with respect to an illumination spectrum of a light source that produces the input light.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the sensor material has a fluorescence spectrum that is non-centered with respect to an illumination spectrum of a light source that produces the input light.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the detector comprises a position-dependent photo detection arrangement.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the detector comprises a linear variable filter and a split-diode detection arrangement.
19. A method, comprising:
causing sensor material to interact with input light, the sensor material asymmetrically altering a spectral distribution of the input light in response to presence of an external stimulus;
sensing altered input light; and
generating at least one electrical signal comprising information about a shift in the centroid of a spectral distribution of the altered input light relative to a centroid of the spectral distribution of the input light.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising determining a magnitude of the shift in the centroid of the altered input light.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the external stimulus comprises an analyte.
22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the external stimulus comprises an electromagnetic field.
23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the external stimulus comprises a temperature.
24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the external stimulus comprises a gas concentration.