US 7,547,904 B2
Sensing photon energies emanating from channels or moving objects
Oliver Schmidt, Palo Alto, Calif. (US); Peter Kiesel, Palo Alto, Calif. (US); and Noble M. Johnson, Menlo Park, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Palo Alto, Calif. (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/315,386.
Prior Publication US 2007/0146704 A1, Jun. 28, 2007
Int. Cl. G01N 15/06 (2006.01); G01N 21/49 (2006.01); G01N 21/85 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 250—573 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor comprising:
a fluidic structure having defined therein a set of one or more channel portions within each of which fluid can move in a respective flow direction and photons can emanate from the moving fluid, with photons emanating from the moving fluid in each channel portion having energies within a respective range of photon energies; and
an IC that includes a photosensor array; the array including, for at least one of the channel portions in the set, a respective series of two or more sets of cells; each series extending along the respective channel portion in its flow direction; each set of cells in a channel portion's series being capable of photosensing photons within a respective subrange of the channel portion's range of photon energies; the respective subranges of at least two of the sets of cells being different from each other.