US 12,078,843 B2
Systems, devices, and methods for improved optical waveguide transmission and alignment
Alexey Kuritsyn, San Jose, CA (US); Mark McDonald, Milpitas, CA (US); Aaron Rulison, Los Altos, CA (US); and Russell Berman, San Carlos, CA (US)
Assigned to Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc., Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed by Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc., Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/819,913.
Application 17/819,913 is a continuation of application No. 17/201,317, filed on Mar. 15, 2021, granted, now 11,415,745.
Application 17/201,317 is a continuation of application No. 16/179,942, filed on Nov. 3, 2018, granted, now 10,948,652, issued on Mar. 16, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/581,203, filed on Nov. 3, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0112975 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02B 6/12 (2006.01); G01N 21/64 (2006.01); G01N 21/77 (2006.01); G02B 6/122 (2006.01); G02B 6/124 (2006.01); G02B 6/42 (2006.01); G02B 27/09 (2006.01); G02B 6/34 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/12016 (2013.01) [G01N 21/6454 (2013.01); G01N 21/648 (2013.01); G01N 21/7703 (2013.01); G02B 6/122 (2013.01); G02B 6/124 (2013.01); G02B 6/422 (2013.01); G02B 27/0955 (2013.01); G02B 27/0972 (2013.01); G02B 27/0977 (2013.01); G02B 2006/12147 (2013.01); G02B 2006/1215 (2013.01); G02B 6/34 (2013.01); G02B 6/4224 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for alignment of an optical source with a target waveguide device comprising the steps of:
providing a system for optical analysis, the system comprising:
an optical source, the optical source configured to emit an optical excitation beam into free space, and
a removable target waveguide device, comprising:
at least one optical coupler, the at least one optical coupler configured to receive the optical excitation beam through free space from the optical source;
at least one optical waveguide, the at least one optical waveguide configured to receive an optical excitation signal from the at least one optical coupler;
at least one reaction region, the at least one reaction region optically coupled to the at least one waveguide; and
at least one detector region, the at least one detector region optically coupled to the at least one reaction region and configured to detect an optical alignment signal from the at least one reaction region;
wherein either the target waveguide device or the optical excitation beam is movable relative to one another;
monitoring the optical alignment signal; and
moving either the target waveguide device or the optical excitation beam relative to one another to increase the optical alignment signal.