Photoacoustic Sensor Head and Photoacoustic Measuring Apparatus with Improved Noise Signal Suppression

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This invention relates to a photoacoustic sensor head and measuring device designed to detect acoustic signals created when a sample absorbs pulsed light. The key novelty is an improved method for suppressing unwanted noise signals by using a special layer that absorbs stray measuring light between the detection surface and the sensor, and by timing the data collection intervals to avoid overlap with these noise signals. This enables more precise and reliable measurements of analytes in samples, especially in non-invasive applications.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Non-invasive medical diagnostics, including monitoring blood glucose, alcohol, or drug levels via the skin.
• Industrial quality control for detecting contaminants or composition in solid, liquid, or gas samples.
• Environmental monitoring for detecting pollutants based on their optical absorption in various media.
• Research applications in chemistry, biology, or materials science where precise substance identification via photoacoustics is needed.
• Food safety analysis to determine contents or contaminants non-destructively.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Significant reduction of noise and interference in the detected signals, leading to higher measurement accuracy.
• Ability to distinguish between useful signals from the sample and noise from the instrument itself through clever signal timing and absorption layers.
• Improved reliability and repeatability of measurements, especially in sensitive or non-invasive assays.
• The system is adaptable to a wide range of sample types, including fluids, gases, and solids.
• Potential for miniaturization and integration into portable or point-of-care diagnostic devices.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a photoacoustic sensor head for detecting acoustic signals which are excited in a sample (10) by absorption of pulsed measuring light (40), comprising a contact prism (20) which is transparent for the measuring light (40) and has a sample contact surface (30), a detection surface (70) arranged opposite the sample contact surface (30) and a light entrance surface (50) arranged adjacent to the detection surface (70), as well as means (60) for radiating the measuring light (40) through the light entrance surface (50) in the direction of the sample contact surface (30), wherein a detection device (80) comprising at least one sound transducer is arranged in a manner covering the detection surface (70), characterized in that those portions of the measuring light (40) which are reflected at the sample contact surface (30) are directed to the detection surface (70) or to the light entrance surface (50), wherein a material layer (90) containing a material which absorbs the measuring light (40) is arranged between the detection surface (70) and the detection device (80). The invention also relates to a photoacoustic measuring apparatus comprising a photoacoustic sensor head of the above-mentioned type, a light source for pulsed measuring light (40), a device for supplying the measuring light (40) to the sensor head, a device for capturing measurement data of the detection device (80) and a lighting control device which causes the light source to emit measuring light pulses (40) with a predetermined pulse duration at predetermined times, characterized in that the measuring apparatus comprises a measurement data evaluation device which communicates with the lighting control device and the measurement data capture device and causes the measurement data capture device to capture the measurement data of the detection device (80) only during a plurality of intervals of time which do not overlap and the temporal positions of which are predetermined on the basis of the times at which the measuring light pulses (40) are emitted and the interval lengths of which in total are shorter than the interval of time between two successive measuring light pulses (40).