Optical detector for detecting gases and aerosols

Abstract

An optical detector (100, 200, 300) for detecting a gas and aerosols therein, comprising a test chamber (111, 113), at least one light source (12), a sensing object (131, 133), a test optical sensor (141), and a processor (19). The test chamber (111, 113) contains the gas to be analyzed. The at least one light source (12) emits incident light into the test chamber (111, 113). The sensing object (131, 133) is exposed to the gas in the test chamber (111, 113), receives the incident light, and reflects or transmits a portion of the incident light to form test light. The test optical sensor (141) receives the test light and generates a detection spectral signal. The processor (19) receives the detection spectral signal and calculates a detection result from the detection spectral signal.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to optical detectors, and in particular to optical detectors that detect gases and suspended matter therein. BACKGROUND

[0002] Gas detectors have been used to dynamically monitor environmental pollution, which is a widespread concern in daily life, industry, academia, and research. Three main technologies currently used in gas detectors include metal oxide semiconductor (MOS), infrared (IR), and electrochemical. MOS refers to a component made of metal semiconductor oxide material. Gas detectors using MOS technology generally detect surface adsorption or reactions resulting from the interaction of MOS devices and gases. MOS-based gas detectors can be mass-produced using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes and are commonly used for air quality detection. Gas detectors with IR detection generally rely on the absorption characteristics of specific gases at specific wavelengths of infrared light. In particular, IR gas detectors generally measure the amount of IR absorption, which is proportional to the concentration of the gas that absorbs infrared light. Gas detectors using IR detection can be used as a miniature spectrometer for food recognition or detection. Gas detectors using electrochemistry generally drive chemical reactions that occur specifically with target gases and measure the generated current, which is proportional to the gas concentration. Gas detectors using electrochemistry are commonly used for health and disease measurement.

[0003] Gas detectors using IR detection generally require measurement of the absorption characteristics of a gas sample at specific wavelengths of infrared light. To increase the amount of absorption and facilitate measurement, a gas detector can require a large gas sample, or can require multiple reflections of infrared light by the gas to provide sufficient absorption of infrared light by the gas to be accurately measured. However, the absorption light is reflected, and IR detectors can require a large gas sample and high-quality reflectors, thereby increasing the cost of the reflective material, the volume of the gas chamber, and the detection time used in the gas detector.

[0004] Additional concerns of gas detectors that can affect detection results include the presence of other gases that are not the target of detection, the humidity of the external environment, the temperature of the external environment, the temperature of the gas detector, air movement in the external environment, and the time for detection. These factors or issues can cause gas detectors to have the following problems: (1) detection accuracy can be greatly affected by external temperature and humidity; (2) gas composition resolution can be poor; (3) a gas detector can take a long time to stabilize after startup for accurate detection; and (4) a gas detector can consume a large amount of power for long-term use. A new type of gas detector is desired to address the problems found in existing gas detectors. SUMMARY

[0005] An optical detector for detecting a gas and a suspended matter therein can use a single reflection (or transmission through) from a reflector (or emitter / absorber) having optical properties dependent on a component or composition of a gas sample adjacent to the reflector (or emitter / absorber) to provide stable detection.

[0006] In one example of the disclosure, an optical detector includes a test chamber, at least one light source, a reflective sensing object, a test optical sensor, and a processor. The test chamber is configured to contain a gas sample that can include one or more target components to be detected, such as a particular gas or particle. The at least one light source is coupled to the test chamber and configured to emit incident light into the test chamber. The at least one light source can be configured to emit incident light having a particular spectrum. The reflective sensing object can be a reflector that changes its reflective properties when one or more target components are present in the gas sample in the test chamber. The reflective sensing object can be disposed in the test chamber and positioned to receive the incident light and reflect the incident light to form test reflected light. The test optical sensor receives the test reflected light and generates a detection spectral signal. The processor is coupled to the test optical sensor, receives the detection spectral signal, and calculates a detection result from the detection spectral signal.

[0007] The optical detector can also include a reference chamber, a reference object, and a reference optical sensor configured symmetrically to the test chamber, the sensing object, and the test optical sensor. The at least one light source is also coupled to the reference chamber and configured to emit the incident light into the test chamber and the reference chamber. The reference chamber can contain the same gas being sampled, and the reference object is disposed in the reference chamber to receive the incident light and reflect the incident light to form reference reflected light. The reference optical sensor receives and detects the reference reflected light to generate a reference spectral signal. The symmetry of the test element and the reference element can cause the difference between the reference spectral signal and the detection spectral signal to be a result of the difference between the reflection from the sensing object and the reflection from the reference object. The processor is also coupled to the reference optical sensor, receives the detection spectral signal and the reference spectral signal, and calculates a calibration result from the detection spectral signal and the reference spectral signal.

[0008] The path length of the incident light reaching the reflection sensing object can be the same as the path length of the incident light reaching the reference object, and the path length of the test reflected light reaching the test optical sensor can be the same as the path length of the reference reflected light reaching the reference optical sensor.

[0009] The optical detector may further include at least one beam-splitter lens located between the test chamber, the reference chamber, and one of the at least one light source. Each of the at least one beam-splitter lens is configured to separate the incident light from one of the at least one light source into the test chamber and the reference chamber.

[0010] The reference object can be configured to maintain low discoloration under various temperature and humidity conditions, and may include ceramics, alumina, or zirconium oxide.

[0011] The optical detector may further include a first protective glass and a second protective glass, the first protective glass being located between the test chamber and the test optical sensor, and the second protective glass being located between the reference chamber and the reference optical sensor. The first and second protective glasses may be configured to isolate the test optical sensor and the reference optical sensor from the test chamber and the reference chamber, thereby protecting them from contamination in the gas sample or the influence of other components of the gas sample.

[0012] The optical detector may further include a temperature and humidity detector coupled to the processor and configured to detect the temperature and humidity of the gas sample and generate temperature and humidity results. The processor can then calculate the calibration result based on the detected spectral signal, the reference spectral signal, and the temperature and humidity results.

[0013] When the reflective sensing object comes into contact with the gas sample (including at least one target component to be detected), the reflective sensing object changes its structure according to the type of at least one target component and the concentration of at least one target gas. For example, the reflective sensing object may be an opaque object comprising at least one of a DNA-modified bacteriophage and a DNA-unmodified bacteriophage that reacts with at least one target component. Therefore, the sensing object reflects the incident light to form the test reflected light having a spectrum corresponding to the presence or concentration of at least one target component in the gas sample.

[0014] In another example of this disclosure, an optical detector for detecting a gas and suspended matter therein includes a gas chamber, a light source, a transmission sensing object, a test optical sensor, and a processor. The gas chamber is configured to contain a gas sample to be analyzed. The light source is coupled to the gas chamber and configured to emit incident light into the gas chamber. The transmission sensing object is disposed within the gas chamber and senses one or more target components of the gas sample to alter the light transmission or absorption characteristics of the transmission sensing object, such as opacity. The transmission sensing object may be configured to receive the incident light, and the incident light passes through or through the transmission sensing object to form test transmitted light. The test optical sensor is configured to receive and detect the test transmitted light to generate a detection spectral signal. The processor is coupled to the test optical sensor and is configured to receive the detection spectral signal to calculate a detection result based on the detection spectral signal.

[0015] The optical detector may further include a reference object and a reference optical sensor, which may be arranged symmetrically with the sensing object and the test optical sensor. The reference object may include a light-transmitting element and is disposed within the gas chamber, configured to receive the incident light and form a reference transmitted light. The reference optical sensor is configured to receive and detect the reference transmitted light to obtain a reference spectral signal. The processor is also coupled to the reference optical sensor, receives the reference spectral signal, and calculates a calibration result based on the detected spectral signal and the reference spectral signal.

[0016] The path length of the incident light reaching the transmission sensing object can be the same as the path length of the incident light reaching the reference object, and the path length of the test transmitted light reaching the test optical sensor can be the same as the path length of the reference transmitted light reaching the reference optical sensor.

[0017] The optical detector may further include a first protective glass and a second protective glass, the first protective glass being located between the transmission sensing object and the test optical sensor, and the second protective glass being located between the reference object and the reference optical sensor. The first and second protective glasses can isolate the gas chamber from the test optical sensor and the reference optical sensor to protect them from gas contamination.

[0018] The optical detector may further include a temperature and humidity detector coupled to the processor. The temperature and humidity detector detects the temperature and humidity of the gas sample and generates temperature and humidity results. The processor calculates the calibration result based on the detected spectral signal, the reference spectral signal, and the temperature and humidity results.

[0019] When the transmission sensing object comes into contact with the gas sample (including at least one component to be detected), the transmission sensing object changes its structure according to the type and concentration of the at least one gas component. Therefore, the incident light penetrates the transmission sensing object to form the test transmitted light having a spectrum corresponding to the type and concentration of the at least one component. For example, the transmission sensing object may be a light-transmitting object including at least one of DNA-modified bacteriophages and DNA-unmodified bacteriophages.

[0020] Compared with existing technologies, the examples of optical detectors disclosed herein may have the following advantages: (1) the optical detector has built-in calibration for various environmental factors (such as temperature and humidity), the temperature of the optical detector, and the emission from the light source; (2) the built-in calibration allows the use of light sources such as LEDs without requiring a stabilization or warm-up time after being turned on; (3) the optical detector has detection specificity to avoid the influence of other undetected gases, thus it has high gas composition resolution; (4) the optical detector can be used in reflective or transmissive configurations; (5) the gas detector does not require a sufficiently large gas chamber for multiple reflections, thus allowing the optical detector to be miniaturized; and (6) the optical detector can detect accurate results without multiple reflections, thereby shortening detection time and reducing power consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0021] FIG. 1 This is a perspective view of an optical detector using a reflection-sensing object, according to an example of this disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 2 yes FIG. 1 An exploded view of the optical detector.

[0023] FIG. 3 It is shown FIG. 1 An exploded view of the other side of the optical detector component.

[0024] FIG. 4 It is shown FIG. 1 A schematic diagram of the A-A' and B-B' cross-sections of the optical detector.

[0025] FIG. 5A It is along FIG. 4 A sectional view of section line A-A'.

[0026] FIG. 5B It is along FIG. 4 A sectional view of the B-B' section line.

[0027] FIG. 6 This is an exploded view showing an optical detector using multiple light sources according to an example of this disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 7 It is shown FIG. 6 An exploded view of the optical detector from the other side.

[0029] FIG. 8 It is shown FIG. 6 A schematic diagram of the C-C' and D-D' cross-sections of the optical detector.

[0030] FIG. 9A It is along FIG. 8 A cross-sectional view of the C-C' section line of the optical detector.

[0031] FIG. 9B It is along FIG. 8 A cross-sectional view of the D-D' section line of the optical detector.

[0032] FIG. 10 This is a perspective view of an optical detector using a transmission-sensing object according to an example of this disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 11 yes FIG. 10 An exploded view of the optical detector.

[0034] FIG. 12 It is shown FIG. 10 An exploded view of the optical detector from the other side.

[0035] FIG. 13 It is shown FIG. 10 A schematic diagram of the E-E' and F-F' profiles of the optical detector.

[0036] FIG. 14A It is along FIG. 13 A cross-sectional view of the E-E' section line of the optical detector.

[0037] FIG. 14B It is along FIG. 13 A cross-sectional view of the F-F' section line of the optical detector.

[0038] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes and do not represent the invention itself. The same reference numerals are used in different drawings to indicate similar or identical items. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Specific examples are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that these embodiments are merely representative, and the specific methods, apparatuses, conditions, materials, etc., are not intended to limit the invention to these specific embodiments. Furthermore, the apparatuses in the figures are used only to indicate their relative positions and may not be drawn to scale.

[0040] FIG. 1 An optical detector 100 according to a first example of this disclosure is shown. The detector 100 can be used to detect one or more target gases or suspended matter that may be a component of a gas sample. To clearly explain its principle and structure, the following primarily describes an example of detecting one or more target gases. However, it should be understood that the disclosed optical detector can also be used to detect suspended matter, such as particles suspended in a gas sample.

[0041] FIG. 1 A perspective view of an optical detector 100 according to a first example of this disclosure is shown. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 It is shown FIG. 1 Exploded view of different sides of the components of the optical detector 100. FIG. 4 It is shown FIG. 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sections A-A' and B-B' of the optical detector 100, and FIG. 5A and 5B Cross-sectional views along sections A-A' and B-B' of the optical detector 100 are shown respectively. FIGS. 1-5BAs shown, the optical detector 100 includes a test chamber 111, a light source 12, a reflection sensing object 131, a test optical sensor 141, and a processor 19. The test chamber 111 is configured to contain a gas sample that can be drawn from the environment surrounding the optical detector 100. The light source 12 is coupled to the test chamber 111 and configured to emit incident light into the test chamber 111. The reflection sensing object 131 is disposed in or adjacent to the test chamber 111 and exposed to the gas sample within the test chamber 111. When a target gas is present, the reflection sensing object 131 senses the gas to be detected (sometimes referred to as the target gas) by changing the reflection characteristics of the reflection sensing object 131. Typically, the sensing object can be sensitive to a variety of different target gases, and the variation in the reflection characteristics of the sensing object 131 can vary depending on the presence and concentration of the target gases. The reflection sensing object 131 is also positioned or configured to receive and reflect incident light to form a test reflected light. The test optical sensor 141 is configured to receive test reflected light to generate a detection spectral signal. A processor 19 is coupled to the test optical sensor 141, receives the detection spectral signal, and calculates a detection result based on the detection spectral signal. Specifically, the processor 19 executes software or firmware to analyze the detection spectral signal (and other data inputs further described below) to generate a detection result, such as an indication of the presence or concentration of one or more target gases or particles in a gas sample.

[0042] The optical detector 100 uses known or calibrated characteristics of the reflectance sensing object 131 (e.g., a predetermined expected change in the reflectivity of the reflectance sensing object 130 when a target component is present at a specified concentration) to determine the detection result. When the reflectance sensing object 131 comes into contact with a gas sample (including at least one target component), the reflectance sensing object 131 changes its structure according to the type and concentration of the component. Therefore, the reflectance sensing object 131 reflects and can modify the incident light to form a test reflected light with a spectral distribution that varies depending on the reflectance characteristics of the sensing object 131. Compared to gas detectors using conventional IR detection, the optical detector 100 can detect gas components without requiring multiple reflections, thus reducing the cost of reflective materials, the volume of the gas chamber, and the detection time.

[0043] External environmental characteristics (such as temperature and humidity) can alter or change the detected spectral signal, potentially requiring calibration to avoid environmental errors in the detection results. To avoid environmental errors in the detection results, the optical detector 100 may further include a reference chamber 112, a reference object 132, and a reference optical sensor 142 arranged symmetrically with respect to the test chamber 111, the reflection sensing object 131, and the test optical sensor 141. The reference chamber 112 is configured to contain a gas to be analyzed, i.e., a gas having the same composition as the gas sample in the test chamber 111. The reference object 132 is disposed in or adjacent to the reference chamber 112 and is configured to receive and reflect incident light to form reference reflected light. The reference optical sensor 142 is configured to receive and detect the reference reflected light to generate a reference spectral signal. The light source 12 may be coupled to both the test chamber 111 and the reference chamber 112 and may emit incident light into both. The processor 19 is further coupled to the reference optical sensor 142, receives the detection spectral signal and the reference spectral signal, and uses the detection spectral signal and the reference spectral signal to calculate the calibration result.

[0044] Reference object 132 may be comprised of a material that maintains low discoloration under various temperature and humidity conditions, making its reflectivity largely unaffected by ambient temperature and humidity. In practice, reference object 132 may comprise ceramics, alumina, or zirconium oxide, which exhibit low response to changes in temperature and humidity. After the incident light and reference reflected light contact the gas to be analyzed in reference chamber 112, reference optical sensor 142 receives and generates a reference spectral signal. Therefore, the reference spectral signal represents the spectral distribution of light from light source 12 after passing through the gas to be analyzed under the current ambient temperature and humidity and the temperature of detector 100. Thus, the reference spectral signal provides a blank calibration signal without any change in the characteristics of the reflector. When processor 19 calculates the detection result using the test spectral signal and the reference spectral signal, processor 19 calculates the calibration result, which takes into account the effects of temperature and humidity.

[0045] To secure the aforementioned components, the optical detector 100 further includes an object holder 151, a sensor holder 152, and a sensor protective cover 153. For example... FIGS. 2-5BAs shown, object holder 151 holds reflection detection object 131 and reference object 132, while sensor holder 152 holds light source 12, test optical sensor 141, and reference optical sensor 142. Sensor protective cover 153 is located between object holder 151 and sensor holder 152 and is connected to both. When object holder 151, sensor holder 152, and sensor protective cover 153 are assembled together, test chamber 111 and reference chamber 112 are formed between object holder 151 and sensor protective cover 153. Spaces 162, 163, and 164 are formed between sensor protective cover 153 and sensor holder 152, and respectively accommodate test sensor 141, reference sensor 142, and light source 12. In the illustrated configuration, test chamber 111 is isolated from reference chamber 112, and test sensor accommodating space 162, reference sensor accommodating space 163, and light source accommodating space 164 are isolated from each other. Furthermore, the sensor protective cover 153 is configured to isolate the test chamber 111 from the test sensor housing space 162, and also to isolate the reference chamber 112 from the reference sensor housing space 163, to prevent the gas to be analyzed from entering the test sensor housing space 162 and the reference sensor housing space 163. The gas to be analyzed may contain components that could affect or damage the test optical sensor 141 and the reference optical sensor 142; the isolation of spaces 162 and 163 avoids factors that could affect sensing accuracy.

[0046] like FIGS. 1-5B As shown, the object holder 151 has two object receiving slots 155 (one for holding the reflection sensing object 131 and the other for holding the reference object 132). When the reflection sensing object 131 and the reference object 132 are secured in the object receiving slots 155, two openings 161 are formed between the reflection sensing object 131 and the object holder 151, and two openings 161 are formed between the reference object 132 and the object holder 151 (e.g., ...). FIG. 1 (As shown). Opening 161 is configured to communicate the test chamber 111 with the external environment and the reference chamber 112 with the external environment, so as to allow the gas to be analyzed to freely enter and exit the detector 100.

[0047] To uniformly separate the incident light emitted from the light source 12 entering the two chambers (test chamber 111 and reference chamber 112), the optical detector 100 further includes a beam-splitting lens 17. The beam-splitting lens 17 can be an optical element, such as a beam splitter with or without the optical properties of focusing or collimating the beam. FIG. 2 As shown, the sensor protective cover 153 further includes a lens receiving groove 156 for accommodating the beam splitter lens 17. (As...) FIG. 5BAs shown, when the optical detector 100 is assembled, the beam-splitting lens 17 is located directly above the light source 12 and between the test chamber 111, the reference chamber 112, and the light source housing space 164. The beam-splitting lens 17 is configured to separate the incident light from the light source 12 into the test chamber 111 and the reference chamber 112. The beam-splitting lens 17, housed in the lens receiving slot 156 of the sensor protective cover 153, abuts against the object holder 151, such that the test chamber 111, the reference chamber 112, and the light source housing space 164 are isolated from each other, but light can be transmitted between them.

[0048] To enable optical communication between the test chamber 111 and the test sensor housing space 162, and to enable optical communication between the reference chamber 112 and the reference sensor housing space 163, the optical detector 100 further includes a first protective glass 181 and a second protective glass 182. FIG. 2 and 5B As shown, the sensor protective cover 153 further includes two glass receiving slots 157. One glass receiving slot is located between the test chamber 111 and the test sensor receiving space 162, and is configured to receive the first protective glass 181. The other glass receiving slot is located between the reference chamber 112 and the reference sensor receiving space 163, and is configured to receive the second protective glass 182. To allow the test optical sensor 141 to smoothly receive the test reflected light, the first protective glass 181 is located in the optical path of the test reflected light. For the same reason, to allow the reference optical sensor 142 to smoothly receive the reference reflected light, the second protective glass 182 is located in the optical path of the reference reflected light. Therefore, the test chamber 111 can be optically connected to the test sensor receiving space 162, and the reference chamber 112 can be optically connected to the reference sensor receiving space 163. The first protective glass 181 and the second protective glass 182 also isolate the test optical sensor 141 and the reference optical sensor 142 from the test chamber 111 and the reference chamber 112 to protect the test optical sensor 141 and the reference optical sensor 142 from gas contamination.

[0049] In practice, the light source 12 may be a light-emitting diode and is configured to emit incident light with a specific spectrum, such as a broad spectral power distribution or a spectral power distribution of light whose wavelengths affect the optical properties (e.g., reflectivity) of the reflectance sensing object 131 according to the concentration of the target gas. IR-based gas detectors use infrared light as a light source, and infrared light sources require time to warm up and stabilize. The optical detector 100 does not require infrared light and may use an LED as the light source 12, allowing the optical detector 100 to be used without stabilization time and warm-up time after activation. (The reference sensor 142 also measures the spectral distribution indicating the spectrum of light from the light source 12, which further reduces the need for precise stabilization of the light source 12.) The sensor holder 152 may be a printed circuit board (PCB), and the processor 19 may be a central processing unit, microcontroller unit, or computer, which may be coupled to the test optical sensor 141 and the reference optical sensor 142 via the sensor holder 152.

[0050] The optical detector 100 can be processed, secured, or mounted for use via the object holder 151, sensor holder 152, and sensor protective cover 153. The disclosed detector 100 has the advantage that, due to the symmetrical arrangement of the sensing and corresponding reference components relative to the light source 12, the path length of the incident light reaching the reflective sensing object 131 is the same as the path length of the incident light reaching the reference object 132. For the same reason, the path length of the test reflected light reaching the test optical sensor 141 is the same as the path length of the reference reflected light reaching the reference optical sensor 142.

[0051] -Apart from FIGS. 2-5B In addition to the example detector 100 which has only one light source 12, optical detectors may alternatively include more than one light source. FIGS. 6-9B An alternative example of a detector 200 having multiple light sources 12 is shown. The light sources 12 may emit light with the same or different spectral power distributions; for example, different light sources 12 in the optical detector 200 may emit light with spectral distributions that peak at different wavelengths. FIG. 6 This is an exploded view showing another example of an optical detector 200 according to the present disclosure. FIG. 7 It is shown FIG. 6 An exploded view of the other side of the optical detector 200. FIG. 8 It is shown FIG. 6 A schematic diagram of the cross-sections CC' and D-D' of the optical detector 200. FIG. 9A It is along FIG. 8 A cross-sectional view of the optical detector 200 along section line C-C', and FIG. 9B It is along FIG. 8The image shows a cross-sectional view of the optical detector 200 along section line D-D'. Most components in the optical detector 200 are the same as those in the optical detector 100, and these components will not be discussed again below. FIGS. 6-9B As shown, the optical detector 200 specifically includes two light sources 12 and two beam-splitting lenses 17. The sensor cover 153 includes two light source housing slots 154, two lens receiving slots 156, and two glass receiving slots 157. One lens receiving slot 156 is located directly above one light source receiving slot 154, and the lens receiving slot 156 is larger than the light source receiving slot 154 to form a trapezoidal structure. Each beam-splitting lens 17 is located between the light source receiving slot 154, the test chamber 111, and the reference chamber 112, thus smoothly splitting the incident light emitted from the light source 12 into the test chamber 111 and the reference chamber 112. In practice, the side of the trapezoidal structure near the edge of the sensor cover 153 is perpendicular to the lens receiving slot 156 and the light source receiving slot 154 (e.g., ...). FIG. 9A (As shown).

[0052] In the optical detector 200, the test optical sensor 141 and the reference optical sensor 142 are fastened to the sensor holder 152 and housed in a sensor housing space 165 formed between the sensor protective cover 153 and the sensor holder 152. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can modify the plurality of light sources 12 or adjust the positions of components based on the above teachings without impairing the performance of the above functions.

[0053] Both optical detectors 100 and 200 utilize a reflective sensing object 131. The reflective sensing object 131 is opaque and reflective, and may include at least one of DNA-modified bacteriophages or DNA-unmodified bacteriophages. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0312262, entitled “BIOMIMETIC VIRUS-BASED COLORIMETRIC SENSORS” (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), describes how a colorimetric detection layer having self-assembled fiber bundles comprising filamentous bacteriophages can be configured to undergo a color change upon interaction with an analyte of interest (e.g., a target gas or particle). Specifically, a portion of the fiber bundle may undergo a change from a first conformation to a second conformation upon interaction with the analyte of interest, thereby undergoing a color change. Such a technique can be used with sensing object 132 such that the color change alters the reflective properties of the reflective sensing object 132, particularly causing the spectral distribution of the reflected light to differ from that of the incident light. The reflective sensing object 131 can detect different gas components and their concentrations based on different DNA-modified or unmodified bacteriophages, or based on the same DNA-modified or unmodified bacteriophage. More generally, the sensing object 131 can use any color-changing material, and is not limited to materials that use bacteriophages.

[0054] In addition to the embodiments of the reflective structure of optical detectors 100 and 200, other examples of optical detectors according to this disclosure may use a penetrating or transmissive structure for sensing objects. FIGS. 10-14B An example of an optical detector 300 using a penetrating or transmissive structure for sensing objects is specifically shown. More specifically, FIG. 10 A perspective view of the optical detector 300 is shown. FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 It is shown FIG. 10 Exploded view of different sides of the components of the optical detector 300. FIG. 13 It is shown FIG. 10 A schematic diagram of the cross-sections E-E' and F-F' of the optical detector 300. FIG. 14A and 14B They are along FIG. 13 The cross-sectional view of the optical detector 300 is shown along sections E-E' and F-F'. Most of the components of the optical detector 300 are the same as their counterparts in the optical detectors 100 or 200, and a complete description of the same components will not be repeated below.

[0055] like FIGS. 10-14BAs shown, the optical detector 300 includes a gas chamber 113, a light source 12, a transmission sensing object 133, a test optical sensor 141, and a processor 19. The transmission sensing object 133 senses the target components of the gas sample to be analyzed and alters its light transmission characteristics. The transmission sensing object 133 is positioned to receive incident light, and the incident light passes through the transmission sensing object 133 to form test transmitted light. Specifically, the transmission sensing object 133 can preferentially absorb incident light of a specific wavelength based on the concentration of one or more target components in the gas sample to generate test transmitted light. The test optical sensor 141 is configured to receive and detect the test transmitted light to generate a detection spectral signal. The processor 19 is coupled to the test optical sensor 141, receives the detection spectral signal, and calculates the detection result based on the detection spectral signal.

[0056] When the transmission sensing object 133 comes into contact with the gas to be analyzed (including at least one target component to be detected), the transmission sensing object 133 changes its structure according to the type and concentration of the target gas component. In practice, the reference object 132 may include a light-transmitting object or material, such as glass with an added color-changing structure. For example, the transmission sensing object 133 may be a light-transmitting object including at least one of DNA-modified bacteriophages or DNA-unmodified bacteriophages as described above. Thus, incident light passes through the transmission sensing object 133 to form test transmitted light, which has a spectrum that varies depending on the optical properties of the sensing object 133. The transmission sensing object 133 can detect different gas components and their concentrations based on different DNA-modified or DNA-unmodified bacteriophages, or based on the same DNA-modified or DNA-unmodified bacteriophages, but is not limited thereto.

[0057] To correct for the detection results of environmental factors, the optical detector 300 may further include a reference object 132 and a reference optical sensor 142. The reference object 132 is configured and symmetrically arranged to receive incident light and form a reference transmitted light. The reference optical sensor 142 is configured to receive and detect the reference transmitted light to obtain a reference spectral signal. The processor 19 is also coupled to the reference optical sensor 142 and is configured to receive the reference spectral signal to calculate a calibration result based on the detected spectral signal and the reference spectral signal.

[0058] To secure the aforementioned components, the optical detector 300 may further include a light source holder 150, an object holder 151, a sensor protective cover 153, and a sensor holder 152. For example... FIGS. 10-14BAs shown, the light source holder 150 is configured to secure the light source 12, the object holder 151 is configured to secure the transmission sensing object 133 and the reference object 132, and the sensor holder 152 is configured to secure the test optical sensor 141 and the reference optical sensor 142. The object holder 151 is located between the light source holder 150 and the sensor holder 152 and is coupled to the light source holder 150. The sensor protective cover 153 is located between the object holder 151 and the sensor holder 152 and is coupled to both the object holder 151 and the sensor holder 152. When the light source holder 150, the object holder 151, the sensor protective cover 153, and the sensor holder 152 are assembled together, a gas chamber 113 is formed between the light source holder 150 and the object holder 151, and a sensor receiving space 165 is formed between the sensor protective cover 153 and the sensor holder 152. The gas chamber 113 can be isolated from the sensor housing space 165 by the sensor protective cover 153 to prevent the gas to be analyzed from entering the sensor housing space 165.

[0059] The light source holder 150 has a light source receiving slot 154 and two openings 161. The light source receiving slot 154 is configured to receive the light source 12, and the openings 161 are configured to communicate the gas chamber 113 with the external environment to allow the gas to be analyzed to freely enter and exit.

[0060] To transmit light between the gas chamber 113 and the sensor housing space 165, the optical detector 300 further includes a first protective glass 181 and a second protective glass 182. FIG. 11 and FIG. 14B As shown, the sensor protective cover 153 further includes two glass receiving slots 157; one is configured to receive a first protective glass 181, and the other is configured to receive a second protective glass 182. To allow incident light to smoothly penetrate the transmission sensing object 133, the first protective glass 181 is located in the optical path of the incident light and the optical path of the test transmitted light. For the same reason, to allow incident light to smoothly penetrate the reference object 132, the second protective glass needs to be located between the optical path of the incident light and the optical path of the reference transmitted light. Additionally, to allow the test optical sensor 141 to smoothly receive the test transmitted light, the test optical sensor 141 needs to be located in the optical path of the test transmitted light. For the same reason, to allow the reference optical sensor 142 to smoothly receive the reference transmitted light, the reference optical sensor 142 needs to be located in the optical path of the reference transmitted light. The first protective glass 181 and the second protective glass 182 are also configured to isolate the gas chamber 113 from the test optical sensor 141 and the reference optical sensor 142 to protect the test optical sensor 141 and the reference optical sensor 142 from gas contamination.

[0061] According to the above description, the optical detector 300 is secured by a light source holder 150, an object holder 151, a sensor protective cover 153, and a sensor holder 152 to provide a symmetrical arrangement such that the path length of the incident light from the light source 12 to the transmission sensing object 133 is the same as the path length of the incident light to the reference object 132. For the same reason, the path length of the test transmitted light to the test optical sensor 141 is the same as the path length of the reference transmitted light to the reference optical sensor 142.

[0062] In practice, to improve accuracy, the optical detector 300 may also include a temperature and humidity detector 143 coupled to the processor 19. The temperature and humidity detector 143 can be configured to detect the temperature and humidity of the gas to be analyzed and generate temperature and humidity results. The processor 19 also calculates calibration results based on the temperature and humidity results to improve measurement accuracy.

[0063] In practice, the reflective sensing object 131 and the transmissive sensing object 133 can sense gaseous components including NH3 and volatile organic compounds (such as hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, oxygenated hydrocarbons, and nitrogenous hydrocarbons). Specifically, the target gaseous component can include compounds from benzene series, organochlorides, Freon series, organic ketones, amines, alcohols, ethers, esters, acids, and petroleum hydrocarbons. When the reflective sensing object 131 or the transmissive sensing object 133, containing a DNA-modified phage corresponding to the gas component to be detected, comes into contact with the gas to be analyzed, which contains the target gas component, the DNA-modified phage changes its structure. Therefore, when incident light enters the structure of the DNA-modified phage, the structure of the DNA-modified phage alters the spectrum of the incident light and forms test reflected light or test transmitted light.

[0064] Furthermore, the bacteriophage of the reflective sensing object 131 or the transmissive sensing object 133 can detect not only gases but also suspended matter, such as solids and liquids containing components that can be detected by the corresponding bacteriophage. These components can be organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, and viruses. Since the detection mechanism of bacteriophages in liquids is similar to the detection mechanism in gases described above, it will not be repeated here.

[0065] Compared to existing technologies, optical detectors 100, 200, or 300 provide simultaneous calibration of light source emission, various environmental factors (such as temperature and humidity), and the temperature of the optical detector itself. The optical detectors possess detection specificity to avoid the influence of other undetected gases, thus providing high gas composition resolution. A gas chamber with sufficient volume for multiple reflections is not required, allowing for miniaturization of the optical detectors. Furthermore, compared to gas detectors with IR, optical detectors 100, 200, or 300 can have shorter detection times and lower power consumption.

[0066] Although specific exemplary embodiments have been disclosed, these embodiments are merely examples and should not be considered limiting. Various modifications and combinations of the features of the disclosed embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An optical detector, the optical detector comprising: A test chamber (111) contains gas; A reference chamber (112), isolated from the test chamber (111), also contains gas; At least one light source (12) is coupled to the test chamber (111) and the reference chamber (112) and can emit incident light into both the test chamber (111) and the reference chamber (112); A sensing object (131) is at least one of DNA-modified bacteriophage and DNA-unmodified bacteriophage, wherein the sensing object (131) is disposed in the test chamber (111), and when the incident light is directed to the sensing object (131) in the test chamber (111), the sensing object (131) contacts the gas and changes color according to the concentration of at least one gas component, such that the sensing object (131) transforms the incident light to form test reflected light having a spectral distribution corresponding to the concentration of the at least one gas component; A test optical sensor (141) is used to receive the test reflected light and generate a detection spectrum signal based on the test reflected light; A first protective glass (181) is disposed between the test chamber (111) and the test optical sensor (141) to separate the test optical sensor (141) from the test chamber (111); A reference object (132), which is ceramic, alumina or zirconium oxide, is disposed in the reference chamber (112), wherein when the incident light is directed to the reference object (132) in the reference chamber (112), the light incident surface of the reference object (132) generates reference reflected light; A reference optical sensor (142) is used to receive the reference reflected light and generate a reference spectral signal based on the reference reflected light; A second protective glass (182) is disposed between the reference chamber (112) and the reference optical sensor (142), separating the reference optical sensor (142) from the reference chamber (112); and A processor (19), coupled to the test optical sensor (141) and the reference optical sensor (142), is used to perform: Receive the detection spectral signal and calculate the detection data based on the detection spectral signal; Receive the reference spectral signal to calculate reference data based on the reference spectral signal; and Based on the test data and the reference data, a corrected test data is generated.

2. The optical detector according to claim 1, wherein, The path length of the incident light reaching the sensing object is the same as the path length of the incident light reaching the reference object, and the path length of the test reflected light reaching the test optical sensor is the same as the path length of the reference reflected light reaching the reference optical sensor.

3. The optical detector of claim 1, further comprising a protective glass between the sensing object and the test optical sensor and between the reference object and the reference optical sensor, wherein the protective glass isolates the gas chamber from the test optical sensor and the reference optical sensor.

4. The optical detector of claim 1, further comprising a temperature and humidity detector coupled to the processor, the temperature and humidity detector being configured to detect the temperature and humidity of the gas and generate temperature and humidity results, wherein the processor generates the corrected test data based on the detected spectral signal, the reference spectral signal, and the temperature and humidity results.

5. An optical detector, comprising: A test chamber (111) contains gas; A reference chamber (112), isolated from the test chamber (111), also contains gas; At least one light source (12) is coupled to the test chamber (111) and the reference chamber (112) and can emit incident light into both the test chamber (111) and the reference chamber (112); A sensing object (133) is at least one of DNA-modified bacteriophage and DNA-unmodified bacteriophage, and is disposed in the test chamber (111). When the incident light is directed to the sensing object (133) in the test chamber (111), the sensing object contacts the gas to be analyzed and changes color according to the concentration of at least one gas component, so that part of the incident light passes through the sensing object to form test transmitted light having a spectral distribution corresponding to the concentration of the at least one gas component. A test optical sensor (141) is used to receive the test transmitted light and generate a detection spectrum signal based on the test transmitted light; A first protective glass (181) is disposed between the test chamber (111) and the test optical sensor (141) to separate the test optical sensor (141) from the test chamber (111); A reference object (132), which is glass, is disposed in the reference chamber (112). When the incident light is guided to the reference object (132) in the reference chamber (112), part of the incident light passes through the reference object (132) and becomes reference transmitted light. A reference optical sensor (142) is used to receive the reference transmitted light and generate a reference spectral signal based on the reference transmitted light; A second protective glass (182) is disposed between the reference chamber (112) and the reference optical sensor (142), separating the reference optical sensor (142) from the reference chamber (112); and A processor (19), coupled to the test optical sensor (141) and the reference optical sensor (142), is used to perform: Receive the detection spectral signal and calculate the detection data based on the detection spectral signal; Receive the reference spectral signal to calculate reference data based on the reference spectral signal; and Based on the test data and the reference data, a corrected test data is generated.

6. The optical detector of claim 5, wherein the path length of the incident light reaching the sensing object is the same as the path length of the incident light reaching the reference object, and the path length of the test transmitted light reaching the test optical sensor is the same as the path length of the reference transmitted light reaching the reference optical sensor.

7. The optical detector of claim 5, further comprising at least one beam-splitting lens located between the test chamber, the reference chamber, and one of the at least one light source, each of the at least one beam-splitting lens being configured to split the incident light from one of the at least one light source into the test chamber and the reference chamber.

8. The optical detector of claim 5, further comprising a temperature and humidity detector coupled to the processor, the temperature and humidity detector being configured to detect the temperature and humidity of the gas to be analyzed and generate temperature and humidity results, wherein, The processor generates the corrected test data based on the detected spectral signal, the reference spectral signal, and the temperature and humidity results.

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