Coaxial Laminated Fluorescent Sensor for High Signal-to-Noise Ratio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluorescence sensors face challenges in achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio, compact size, and ease of arraying due to the perpendicular or angled arrangement of excitation and signal light paths, which increases volume and complexity, and the use of optical fibers limits collection efficiency and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A laminated fluorescent sensor design with a coaxial arrangement of a light source, short wave pass filter, sensing unit, long wave pass filter, and optical signal collecting unit within a sealable housing, reducing the distance between light source and sensing unit, and using a PIN-type photodiode with a micro vacuum pump system for efficient fluorescence collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the excitation light path and signal light path are arranged perpendicular or at an angle to achieve high signal-to-noise ratio, then the light collection efficiency is improved, but the distance between sensing element and optical signal collecting element increases, requiring additional lenses and increasing sensor volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional perpendicular/angled light path arrangement to a coaxial arrangement where excitation and signal light paths share the same optical axis. This dimensional reorganization allows both light paths to coexist in the same spatial dimension without requiring additional lateral space for lenses, thereby achieving high signal-to-noise ratio while maintaining compact sensor volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the excitation light path and signal light path into a single coaxial optical path, combining previously separate optical channels into one unified structure. This eliminates the need for separate lens groups for each path and reduces the overall sensor volume while maintaining effective light collection.
2Measurement precision
If perpendicular or angled arrangement of optical elements is used to improve light collection efficiency, then signal-to-noise ratio is enhanced, but strict structural requirements on angle and position layout greatly limit integration and array of sensor
Solution Approach 1:
By reorganizing optical elements along a common axial dimension rather than requiring precise angular and positional relationships in multiple dimensions, the patent simplifies the structural layout. The coaxial arrangement reduces the degrees of freedom required for optical element positioning, making integration and arraying significantly easier.
Solution Approach 2:
The coaxial optical design creates a universal structural platform that can be easily replicated and arrayed. The simplified layout with elements positioned along a single axis allows for standardized integration procedures and facilitates the creation of sensor arrays without requiring complex custom positioning for each sensor element.
3Volume of stationary object
If optical fiber with small cross-sectional area is used as propagation medium, then sensor size is reduced, but the collection range of optical signal is limited, requiring lens or multiple filters which complicates overall structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the excitation source, sensing element, and signal collection into a compact coaxial arrangement that eliminates or minimizes the need for separate lenses and multiple filters. By integrating these functions along a single optical axis with close spacing, the design achieves small sensor size while avoiding the structural complexity that would result from adding multiple optical components to compensate for limited collection range.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves a high signal-to-noise ratio, reduces the intensity of excitation light needed, and allows for compact, cost-effective, and stable detection of multiple substances, including explosives and narcotics, with improved selectivity and response rate.
Implementation Method 1
the light source is a straw-hat-shaped LED (light emitting diode) lamp, a bullet-shaped LED lamp or a patch-type LED lamp
Implementation Method 2
Fluorescence sensing refers to using light with a certain wavelength range to illuminate a sensitive unit with a special recognition function to excite fluorescence
Implementation Method 3
the optical sensing system comprises a light source, a short wave pass filter, an air chamber, a sensing unit, a long wave pass filter set and an optical signal collecting unit from top to bottom all of which are coaxially set
Implementation Method 4
the optical signal collecting unit is a PIN-type photodiode
Data Source
AI summary
A laminated fluorescent sensor includes a sealable sensor housing and an optical sensing system embedded inside the sealable sensor housing. The optical sensing system includes a light source (7), a short wave pass filter (8), an air chamber (10), a sensing unit, a long wave pass filter set (12) and an optical signal collecting unit from top to bottom all of which are coaxially set. The optical signal collecting unit is connected with a signal processing system (14); the sealable sensor housing has air inlets (2, 201) and an air pumping port (3), the air inlets (2, 201) are communicated with the air chamber (10) through an air intake passage, the air chamber (10) is communicated with the air pumping port (3) through an air pumping passage.