Modulating Luminescent Dyes to Suppress Background Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing affinity-based biosensors face challenges in achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio, making it difficult to accurately quantify luminescent targets due to interference from background signals.
Innovation Solution
A sensor device and method that modulates physical parameters such as temperature, excitation light power or wavelength, and pH to differentiate between desired and background signals, using a processor to correlate these modulations and enhance the signal-to-noise ratio, allowing for the detection of luminescent targets at concentrations as low as 10 pM.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional fluorescence detection is used in affinity-based biosensors, then the detection system can identify target molecules, but the signal-to-noise ratio is poor due to background signal interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic modulation of physical parameters (temperature, excitation light power, or pH) to create time-varying signal characteristics. By modulating these parameters periodically and correlating the detected signal with the modulation pattern, the system distinguishes between modulated target signals and non-modulated background signals, achieving background suppression and improved signal-to-noise ratio
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters (temperature, excitation light power, wavelength, or pH) to different values in a periodic manner. This parameter modulation causes the luminescence signal from target molecules to vary in a predictable pattern, while background signals remain relatively constant. The processor correlates the detected signal with the known parameter modulation pattern to extract the target signal and suppress the background
2Measurement precision
If luminescent labels are used to detect target molecules, then the presence of targets can be identified, but background luminescence interferes with accurate quantification
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic modulation of physical parameters to create time-varying luminescence signals from target molecules. By measuring the signal at different modulation phases and correlating with the modulation pattern, the system separates the modulated target luminescence from the non-modulated background luminescence, enabling accurate quantification
Solution Approach 2:
The processor uses feedback from the known parameter modulation pattern to analyze the detected signal. By comparing the detected signal with the expected modulation pattern, the system calculates the target concentration while compensating for background interference, improving quantification accuracy
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 approach significantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio, enabling the detection of luminescent targets at low concentrations and reducing background signal contribution, thereby enhancing the accuracy and sensitivity of the quantification process.
Implementation Method 1
a light source for exciting the luminescent targets, thus generating luminescence signals
Implementation Method 2
the modulator is adapted for changing the temperature of the device
Implementation Method 3
total internal reflection may be used to create an evanescent field very close to the sensor surface, to excite only those fluorophores which are present very close to the surface
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor device for quantifying luminescent targets comprises a light source, a detector, a modulator, and a processor. The light source is adapted for exciting the luminescent target. The detector is adapted for detecting the luminescence of the luminescent target resulting in a measured signal which comprises a desired signal originating from the luminescent target and a background signal. The modulator is adapted for modulating a physical parameter resulting in a modulation of the desired signal which is different from the modulation of the background signal. The processor is configured to correlate the modulation of the physical parameter with the modulation of the desired signal and/or the modulation of the background signal.