US 12,467,743 B2
Optical sensing device for measuring deformation of a sample
Niek Rijnveld, Amsterdam (NL); Grzegorz Gruca, Amsterdam (NL); Kevin Bielawski, Amsterdam (NL); and Massimiliano Berardi, Amsterdam (NL)
Assigned to OPTICS11 B.V., Amsterdam (NL)
Appl. No. 18/276,948
Filed by OPTICS11 B.V., Amsterdam (NL)
PCT Filed Feb. 21, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/054291
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 11, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/175537, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 25, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2027604 (NL), filed on Feb. 19, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0295395 A1, Sep. 5, 2024
Int. Cl. G01B 11/16 (2006.01); G01B 9/02001 (2022.01); G01D 5/353 (2006.01); G01L 1/24 (2006.01); G01L 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01B 11/161 (2013.01) [G01B 9/0201 (2013.01); G01B 11/18 (2013.01); G01D 5/35312 (2013.01); G01L 1/245 (2013.01); G01L 9/0079 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of optically measuring a response of a sample to a change in an environmental condition to which the sample is exposed, wherein use is made of an optical sensing device comprising:
a support with an aperture, the optical sensing device being adapted to removably hold the sample against the support around the aperture so that a portion of the sample is free to deform through the aperture; and
an optical waveguide fixedly arranged with respect to the support whereby an end of the optical waveguide faces the aperture,
the method comprising:
forming an optical interferometric cavity between, one the one hand, the end of the optical waveguide and, on the other hand, a refractive index discontinuity at a surface of the portion of the sample, which is free to protrude through the aperture, the optical interferometric cavity having an optical path length;
changing the environmental condition to which the sample is exposed so as to cause deformation of the portion of the sample through the aperture; and
measuring a variation in the optical path length of the optical interferometric cavity in response to the change in the environmental condition.