SENSOR MODULE FOR MULTIPARAMETRICALLY ANALYSING A MEDIUM

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor module (1) for multiparametric analysis of a medium (105) and to the uses thereof. The sensor module (1) according to the invention is characterised by a combination of photonic and non-photonic measurement principles with parameter-sensitive coatings (103) on a substrate (100). A plurality of properties of a medium (105) can be detected over wide parameter ranges, wherein the most suitable method can be used for the corresponding parameter, at least for example with regard to the accuracy, the long-term stability, the resolution, the reproducibility, the energy consumption, the manufacturing costs, the necessary space requirements.

Claims

1. Sensor module (1) for multiparametric analysis of a medium (105), comprising at least one organic light emitter (101) for emitting a first photonic signal and at least one device for detecting photonic signals (102), wherein the at least one organic light emitter (101) and the at least one device for detecting photonic signals (102) are monolithically formed on a semiconductor substrate (100) or in a semiconductor substrate (100); at least one functional layer system (103) which at least partially covers the at least one organic light emitter (101) and/or the at least one device for detecting photonic signals (102) and is in contact with the medium (105), wherein the functional layer system (103) is designed in such a way that it has at least one active region (104) having at least one property that can be influenced by at least one property of the medium (105), characterised in that the at least one active region (104) of the functional layer system (103) can be photonically excited by means of the at least one organic light emitter (101) and emits a second photonic signal which is detected by the at least one device for detecting photonic signals (102), the second photonic signal containing information about the at least one property of the medium (105), and in that the semiconductor substrate (100) is designed in such a way that at least one second property can be determined by means of a non-photonic measurement principle or the sensor module has at least one component (106) for determining at least one second property, which module is arranged on the semiconductor substrate (100) or a carrier.

2. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the semiconductor substrate (100) is designed as a CMOS.

3. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the semiconductor substrate (100) comprises at least one device for performing an electrochemical measurement or at least one device for performing a temperature measurement or at least one device for performing an impedance measurement or at least one device for performing a magnetic field measurement or at least one device for performing a backscatter measurement or at least one device for performing a flow measurement or at least one device for performing a flow rate measurement or at least one device for performing a heat flow measurement or at least one device for performing a pressure measurement or a combination of the aforementioned.

4. Sensor module (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the at least one device for performing an electrochemical measurement comprises an electrode-on-CMOS or ISFET or ChemFET or ENFET or pH-FET or solid-state electrolyte structure or a combination of the aforementioned.

5. Sensor module (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the at least one device for performing a temperature measurement comprises an R-on-CMOS sensor or a thermocouple sensor or a semiconductor sensor or a combination of the aforementioned.

6. Sensor module (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the at least one device for performing a impedance measurement comprises an interdigital electrode structure.

7. Sensor module (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the at least one device for performing a magnetic field measurement comprises a Hall sensor.

8. Sensor module (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the at least one device for performing a flow rate measurement comprises the principle of a hot wire anemometer.

9. Sensor module (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the at least one device for performing a heat flow measurement comprises a thermopile sensor.

10. Sensor module (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the at least one device for performing a pressure measurement comprises a thin-film sensor or a thick-film sensor or a piezoresistive sensor or a MEMS sensor or a combination of the aforementioned.

11. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the sensor module (1) has a plurality of organic light emitters (101) which can be arranged spatially separated from one another at definable positions and which each emit a first photonic signal having wavelengths that differ from one another or each emit a first photonic signal having the same wavelength.

12. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the sensor module (1) has more than one device for detecting photonic signals (102) which can be arranged spatially separated from one another at definable positions, the devices for detecting photonic signals (102) being designed in such a way that they have spectral sensitivity ranges that differ from one another, so that they each detect a second photonic signal having wavelengths that differ from one another, or the devices for detecting photonic signals (102) being designed in such a way that they have the same sensitivity ranges or overlapping sensitivity ranges, the assignment of the corresponding detected second photonic signal to the location of the emission thereof taking place via distinguishable numerical apertures.

13. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one device for detecting photonic signals (102) is arranged directly below at least one organic light emitter (101).

14. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the functional layer system (103) has more than one active region (104), the active regions (104) being arranged spatially separated from one another.

15. Sensor module (1) according to claim 14, characterised in that the active regions (104) of the functional layer system (103) are designed so that the second photonic signals emitted by separate active regions (104) contain information about various properties of the medium (105).

16. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the functional layer system (103) comprises at least one functional layer (103.2) which is arranged on a functional layer carrier (103.1).

17. Sensor module (1) according to claim 16, characterised in that the functional layer carrier (103.1) is designed as an optical lens or as an optical lens array or as an optical filter or as an optical grating or as a combination of the aforementioned.

18. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the sensor module (1) has at least one device for storing data and/or for evaluating and influencing data and/or for transmitting data and/or for communication (107).

19. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the sensor module (1) has at least one device for controlling and/or for modulating/demodulating the at least one organic light emitter (101) and/or the at least one device for detecting photonic signals (102).

20. Sensor module (1) according to claim 18, characterised in that the at least one device (107) is formed monolithically in the semiconductor substrate (100).

21. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the sensor module (1) has at least one device for providing the electrical energy to be used for operating the sensor module (1).

22. Sensor module (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one actuating component is arranged on the sensor module (1).

23. Use of the sensor module (1) according to claim 1 in a lab-on-a-chip system.

24. Use of the sensor module (1) according to claim 1 for fermentation monitoring, in particular in a disposable fermentation bag.

25. Use of the sensor module (1) according to claim 1 for monitoring vital parameters.

26. Use according to claim 25, characterised in that the sensor module (1): is arranged in a carrier which can be applied to the skin; is arranged on a dental brace, a nose clip or a bite guard; is integrated in a ventilator or anaesthesia device or a lung function device; is arranged in a collecting vessel for urine or stool or blood samples; is designed to be implantable; or is arranged in a capsule that can be swallowed.

27-31. (canceled)

Description

[0088] In the tables and drawings:

[0089] Table 1 shows examples of photonic measurement principles for determining various properties of a medium and examples for the sensor-active component;

[0090] Table 2 shows examples of non-photonic measurement principles for determining various properties of a medium and examples of devices for measuring the property;

[0091] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a sensor module according to the invention for multiparametric analysis of a medium;

[0092] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a sensor module according to the invention for multiparametric analysis of a medium;

[0093] FIG. 3 shows a sensor module according to the invention in a fermentation chamber.

[0094]

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Examples of photonic measurement principles Measurement principle/ Property of the measurement medium method Sensor-active component Dissolved oxygen Photonic/ Organic dye (e.g. PtTFPL in PSAN or PtTFPP fluorescence in polystyrene) measurement pH Photonic/ Organic dye (e.g. HPTS, fluorescence seminaphtharhodafluor (SNARF), measurement hydroxycoumarin) Temperature Photonic/ Organic dye (e.g. rhodamine, or Eu(tta).sub.3(dpbt) fluorescence in PVC) measurement Dissolved CO.sub.2 Photonic/ Organic dye (e.g. HPTS) in combination with a fluorescence gas-permeable and proton-impermeable measurement polymer (e.g. Teflon, silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) Glucose Photonic/ Organic dye (e.g. PtTFPL or PtTFPP) in fluorescence combination with glucose oxidase enzyme measurement (glucose oxidase) Lactate Photonic/ Organic dye (e.g. PtTFPL or PtTFPP) in fluorescence combination with lactate oxidase measurement Pressure Photonic/ Organic dye (e.g. PtTFPL or PtTFPP in FIB) fluorescence measurement Toxin measurement Photonic/ GFP protein in the GFP gene fluorescence measurement Toxin measurement Photonic/ Ion channel on a thin, noble metal layer/layer SPR measurement system Refractive index Photonic/ Thin, noble metal layer/layer system (e.g. Ag, SPR measurement Au) Hydrogen Photonic/ Noble metal layer/layer system (e.g. palladium SPR measurement layer) pH Photonic/ Colorimetric indicators; e.g. bromophenol blue colorimetric [bromocresol purple]) measurement Carbon monoxide Photonic/ Colorimetric indicators (e.g. binuclear rhodium colorimetric complex) measurement Nitrogen dioxide Photonic/ Colorimetric indicators (e.g. N,N,N′,N′- colorimetric tetramethyl-pphenylenediamine; quinones) measurement Ammonium Photonic/ Organic dye (e.g. Oxazine 170 perchlorate for ratiometric ammonium, Oxazine170 perchlorate-ethyl fluorescence cellulose (O17-EC) membrane with measurement aluminium-containing compounds for nitrate measurement) SpO2 Photonic/ 2-wavelength reflex pulse oximetry Ratiometric absorption measurement

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Examples of non-photonic measurement principles Measurement Property of the principle/ medium measurement method Device pH Non-photonic/ Electrode arrangement with, for example, electrochemical a metal oxide layer as the working measurement electrode (for example iridium oxide, ruthenium oxide), silver/silver chloride as reference electrode); ISFET Temperature Non-photonic/ Brokaw cell bandgap voltage Platinum thick-layer sensor reference R-on-CMOS Cell growth/ Non-photonic/ Interdigital electrode structure cell death Impedance measurement method Dissolved CO.sub.2 Non-photonic/ Electrode arrangement in combination potentiometric with a gas-permeable and proton- measurement principle impermeable polymer (e.g. Teflon, silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) Glucose Non- 2- or 3-electrode arrangement in photonic/amperometric combination with the enzyme glucose measurement oxidase Lactate Non-photonic/ 2- or 3-electrode arrangement in amperometric combination with the enzyme lactate measurement oxidase Pressure Non-photonic/ thin-film sensor, thick-film sensor, piezoresistive sensor, MEMS sensor

[0095] When combining the at least one photonic measurement principle with a device for temperature measurement, the advantage of the sensor module according to the invention that the measurement location of the desired parameters can be selected relatively freely can be used particularly favourably, in that, for example, an R-on-CMOS sensor can be arranged directly next to a detection structure for fluorescent light, so that the correction variable “temperature” of the associated fluorescent dye can be detected without a large delay or transfer characteristic.

[0096] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a sensor module 1 according to the invention for multiparametric analysis of a medium 105. The sensor module 1 has at least one organic light emitter for emitting a first photonic signal 101 and at least one device for detecting photonic signals 102. The organic light emitter 101 and the device for detecting photonic signals 102 are formed monolithically on a semiconductor substrate 100 which is advantageously formed as a CMOS semiconductor substrate. Furthermore, the sensor module 1 has at least one functional layer system 103 which covers the at least one organic light emitter 101 and/or the at least one device for detecting photonic signals 102 and is in contact with the medium 105. The functional layer system 103 has at least one active region 104. The sensor module 1 has a component for determining a second property by means of a non-photonic measurement principle 106, which component is arranged on the semiconductor substrate 100.

[0097] Furthermore, the sensor module 1 advantageously has at least one device for storing data and/or for evaluating and influencing data and/or for transmitting data and/or for communication and/or at least one device for controlling and/or modulating/demodulating the at least one organic light emitter and/or the at least one device for detecting photonic signals 107. Furthermore, the sensor module 1 advantageously has a device for providing the electrical energy 108 to be used for operating the sensor module 1.

[0098] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the sensor module 1 according to the invention for multiparametric analysis of a medium 105. The sensor module 1 corresponds to the sensor module from FIG. 1. The functional layer system 103 has a functional layer carrier 103.1 and a functional layer 103.2. The functional layer carrier 103.1 can be designed as an optical lens or as an optical lens array or as an optical filter or as an optical grating or as a combination of the aforementioned.

[0099] FIG. 3 shows schematically a sensor module 1 in a fermentation reactor 2 which is filled with a medium 105. The sensor module 1 corresponds to the sensor module 1 shown in FIG. 1. It can be seen that the functional layer system 103 is in contact with the medium 105 and shields the organic light emitter 101 and the device for detecting photonic signals 102 from the medium 105. The sensor module 1 has at least one device for storing data and/or for evaluating and influencing data and/or for transmitting data and/or for communication 107. Furthermore, the sensor module 1 can have at least one device for controlling and/or modulating/demodulating the at least one organic light emitter and/or the at least one device for detecting photonic signals (not shown). The sensor module 1 can furthermore have a device for providing the electrical energy to be used for operating the sensor module (not shown).

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0100] 1 Sensor module [0101] 100 Semiconductor substrate [0102] 101 Organic light emitter [0103] 102 Device for the detection of photonic signals [0104] 103 Functional layer system [0105] 103.1 Functional layer carrier [0106] 103.2 Functional layer [0107] 104 Active region [0108] 105 Medium [0109] 106 Component for determining at least one second property [0110] 107 Device for storing data and/or for evaluating and influencing data and/or for transmitting data and/or for communication [0111] 2 Fermentation reactor

CITED NON-PATENT LITERATURE

[0112] [Krujatz2016] Krujatz F. et al “Exploiting the Potential of OLED-Based Photo-Organic Sensors for Biotechnological Applications”; Chem Sci J 2016 Vol. 7, Issue 3, 1000134, DOI: 10.4172/2150-3494.1000134