US 12,411,070 B2
Optomechanical sensor for sensing species' concentration in a liquid medium
Marc Sansa Perna, Grenoble (FR); Thomas Alava, Grenoble (FR); and Sebastien Hentz, Grenoble (FR)
Assigned to COMMISSARIAT À L'ÉNERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ÉNERGIES ALTERNATIVES, Paris (FR)
Filed by COMMISSARIAT À L'ÉNERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ÉNERGIES ALTERNATIVES, Paris (FR)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/655,084.
Claims priority of application No. 2102697 (FR), filed on Mar. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0299416 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 15/06 (2024.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); G01N 15/01 (2024.01); G01N 15/075 (2024.01); G02B 6/293 (2006.01); G02B 6/42 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 15/0637 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502715 (2013.01); G02B 6/4215 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0654 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0433 (2013.01); G01N 15/01 (2024.01); G01N 15/075 (2024.01); G02B 6/29338 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor structure for sensing the concentration of at least one given species in a liquid medium including:
a support,
at least one waveguide,
at least one optical resonator hanging to the support, said optical resonator being optically coupled to the waveguide so that the waveguide injects into the optical resonator an electromagnetic wave and collects said electromagnetic wave coming out of the waveguide, said optical resonator comprising an optical active area for the circulation of the electromagnetic wave, and
at least one mechanical sensor hanging to the support, said mechanical resonator and said optical resonator being coupled, said mechanical resonator being configured to vibrate in a volume mode and including at least one face extending in the plane of the sensor and configured to receive molecules of said given species,
wherein the optical resonator includes a body comprising the optical active area, said body comprising a first face and a second face, the second face being opposite the support and the first face being directed opposite to the support, said optical resonator also including an optical insulation layer deposited at least over the first face at least in line with the optical active area so as to confine at least partially the electromagnetic wave in the body,
the concentration sensor structure, intended to be immersed in a liquid medium, further comprising a functionalisation layer and covering the optical insulation layer, the functionalisation layer and the optical insulation layer being either directly in contact or separated by an adhesion layer.