A device for monitoring a measurement object, comprising: an active unit having a light source emitting light with a wavelength spectrum and an optical detector. An optical link passes the emitted light to a at least one passive unit. Each passive unit comprises a sensor and a selector for diverting the emitted light to the sensor. The sensor comprises a luminescent material being directly or indirectly affected by the emitted light diverted by the selector. The sensor is sensitive to an external influence by the measurement object for producing a modulated signal, which is passed to said detector via the optical link. The luminescent material may be a fluorescent material, which is directly irradiated by the emitted light from the light source.

A method is provided for degradation-compensated evaluation of detection signals of a sensor arrangement operating on the principle of luminescence quenching, which arrangement has a luminophore that degrades over time, an excitation radiation source, and at least one optical sensor. The luminophore radiates, in accordance with a response characteristic of the sensor arrangement, in reaction to irradiation with a predefined modulated excitation radiation and as a function of the extent of an interaction of the luminophore with a quencher substance that quenches the luminescence of the luminophore. A response radiation is detected by the at least one optical sensor. The sensor arrangement outputs a detected intensity value representing an intensity of the response radiation and a detected phase value representing a phase difference of the response radiation with respect to the modulation of the excitation radiation. A predetermined calibration value correlation is identified in consideration of the reference response characteristic.

A system for analysis of a fluid sample has a carrier with a channel. A plug with a sensor can be inserted into a socket arranged on the carrier in such a way that the sensor is in contact with an interior volume of the channel. The sensor can be an optical sensor, in particular based on fluorescence. Optical fibres may be connected to the plug. A camera (8) may be provided to record an image of the plug. The carrier may in particular be a microfluidic chip and the channel a microfluidic channel.

The present invention is to provide a method capable of visualizing a coating state of a protein adsorbent even on a substrate having a complicated structure, in particular, for use on a surface of an apparatus for culturing or growing living cells. The method comprises coating a series of substrates with selected protein adsorbents and fluorescent dye, irradiating selected coated substrates and determining a coating state from color development of the substrates.

An optode has a planar radiation guiding medium having a first planar surface and a second planar surface and one or more perimeter surfaces bounded by the first and second planar surfaces. An excitation energy source of the optode is configured to output into the radiation guiding medium first energy at a wavelength selected to excite a fluorophore. The optode also includes a photodetector configured to image at least a portion of the first planar surface of the radiation guiding medium by detecting second energy transmitted through the radiation guiding medium.

An analytical device including an optically opaque cladding, a sequencing layer including a substrate disposed below the cladding, and a waveguide assembly for receiving optical illumination and introducing illumination into the device. The illumination may be received from a top, a side edge, and a bottom of the device. The waveguide assembly may include a nanoscale aperture disposed in the substrate and extending through the cladding. The aperture defines a reaction cell for receiving a set of reactants. In various aspects, the device includes a sensor element and the illumination pathway is through the sensor element. Waveguides and illumination devices, such as plasmonic illumination devices, are also disclosed. Methods for forming and operating the devices are also disclosed.

A method for determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample liquid, in which a) by means of a radiation source (3, 10, 17, 25, 31), excitation radiation is directed onto a carrier unit (5, 13, 20, 26, 33) which is in contact with the sample liquid and which has immobilized molecules of a sensor dye that is sensitive to the analyte, b) a portion of luminescence radiation of the sensor dye, this radiation is induced by the excitation radiation, is applied to a radiation detector (4, 14, 21, 28, 34,35) in order to generate an output signal therefrom, and c) an evaluation routine ascertains the analyte concentration from the detector output signal, wherein a dependence of a property of the luminescence radiation on the concentration of the analyte in the sample liquid is used, characterized in that d) dependence of the examined property of the luminescence radiation on an exchange interaction between the individual molecules of the sensor dye is used to ascertain analyte concentration, wherein the exchange interaction takes place when the molecules of the sensor dye interact with the particles of the analyte. An optode designed to carry out the method is also proposed.

The present application discloses a sensor for determining a measurand correlated with a concentration of at least one analyte belonging to the class of reactive oxygen species in a measuring fluid, the sensor including a sensor element having an indicator substance, wherein the indicator substance is oxidized into an oxidized form of the indicator substance by the at least one analyte, a means for generating a flow of current in the sensor element that causes a reduction of the oxidized form of the indicator substance and thereby regeneration of the indicator substance, an optical measuring sensor to detect measuring radiation influenced by the oxidized form of the indicator substance and to generate an electrical measuring signal using the influenced measuring radiation, and a sensor switch connected to the optical measuring sensor to receive the measuring signal and to ascertain a measured value of the measurand using the measuring signal.

A sensor (e.g., an optical sensor) that may be implanted within a living animal (e.g., a human) and may be used to measure an analyte (e.g., glucose or oxygen) in a medium (e.g., interstitial fluid, blood, or intraperitoneal fluid) within the animal. The sensor may include a sensor substrate, electrode or housing, an analyte indicator covering at least a portion of the sensor, and one or more optical signal stabilizing additives in an environment of the sensor.

An optochemical sensor unit including: an optical waveguide; a transmitting unit for emitting a first transmission signal for exciting a luminophore; a receiving unit for receiving a received signal comprising a signal component emitted by the excited luminophore; a measuring chamber for receiving a fluid, wherein the fluid includes magnetic microspheres; a membrane arranged between the measuring chamber and a measuring medium for exchanging an analyte between the measuring medium and the fluid in the measuring chamber, wherein the measuring diaphragm is impermeable to the magnetic microspheres; and an electromagnet for attracting magnetic microspheres to a sensor membrane with a fluid-contacting surface and/or to a fluid-contacting surface of the optical waveguide, or to a surface of a transparent substrate layer of the optical sensor unit that is connected to the optical waveguide.