Optical sensor apparatus to detect light based on the refractive index of a sample

摘要

An optical sensor apparatus includes an optically transmissive structure (e.g., a prism) having two planar faces and a third planar face that connects the two planar faces, two or more light sources located outside the structure, and a photodetector array located outside the prism. The structure, light sources, and photodetector array are configured such that light from the light sources that is totally internally reflected at an optical interface between the prism and a sample outside the structure proximate one of the two planar faces is incident on a portion of the photodetector array that depends on a refractive index of the sample. The light sources are positioned with respect to the structure and photodetector array such that the totally internally reflected light from each light source corresponds to a different range of refractive index of the sample and maps to a corresponding portion of the photodetector array.

主权项

1. An optical sensor apparatus, comprising:
an optically transmissive light guiding structure having at least three faces; two or more light sources located outside the optically transmissive light guiding structure; and a photodetector array located outside the optically transmissive light guiding structure, wherein the optically transmissive light guiding structure, the two or more light sources, and the photodetector array are configured such that light from the two or more light sources that is totally internally reflected at an optical interface between the optically transmissive light guiding structure and a sample outside the optically transmissive light guiding structure proximate one of the faces is incident on a portion of the photodetector array that depends on a refractive index of the sample, wherein the two or more light sources are positioned with respect to the optically transmissive light guiding structure and photodetector array such that light from each of the two or more light sources that is totally internally reflected at the interface corresponds to a different range of the refractive index of the sample and maps to a corresponding portion of the photodetector array.