Sensor element, useful in medical dressing, a strain gauge and a sensor system, comprises a photonic crystal structure having optical properties due to their structure, and receptor sites for selectively interacting with analyte

摘要

Sensor element comprises: a photonic crystal structure having one or more optical properties due to its structure; and photonic crystal structure integrated receptor sites for selectively interacting with analyte. The optical properties of the photonic crystal structure are changeable based on the analyte deposited at the receptor sites and/or based on direct chemical and/or physical interaction of the analyte with the receptor sites. Independent claims are included for: (1) a method for producing a sensor element, comprising arranging particles with defined size so that a photonic crystal structure is formed, and integrating receptor sites for selectively interacting with the analyte in the photonic crystal structure or setting a measurement area in the photonic crystal structure; (2) a method-1 of adjusting a measurement functionality of the sensor element, comprising introducing voids and/or particles into the photonic crystal structure in order to adjust an optical property including at least two alternating or more refractive indices within the photonic crystal structure or to adjust strained crystal structure through the voids or the particles, and/or biasing the crystal structure of the photonic crystal structure to adjust the optical property of at least two or more alternating refraction indices within the photonic crystal structure by adjusting the mechanical displacement of the crystal structure; (3) a medical dressing comprising a medical substrate, and the sensor element deposited to the medical substrate; (4) a strain gauge comprising a flexible substrate, and the sensor element, where the sensor element is applied to the flexible substrate, such that a tension change in the optical property of the photonic crystal structure is carried out by a force acting on the flexible substrate; and (5) a sensor system comprising the sensor element, and an optical detector designed to detect the optical property of the photonic crystal structure and to output a signal, which allows a conclusion on the concentrated analyte or on the detected physical measurements.