Method and device for detecting extracellular vesicles

Abstract

Detection system for detecting at least one extracellular vesicle in a microfluid, including a broadband light source, collimating and focusing optics, a spectrophotometer, a microfluid apparatus and an active sensing element positioned inside the microfluid apparatus, the active sensing element including a substrate, a thin metal layer deposited on the substrate and a dielectric waveguide layer deposited on the metal layer, the light source generating at least one incident beam of light in the near infrared region, the metal layer and the waveguide layer each include a plurality of waveguides, the collimating optics collimates the incident beam of light on the substrate via the coupler, the focusing optics receives at least one reflection of the incident beam of light and provides the reflection to the spectrophotometer, the active sensing element causes surface plasmon waves in the microfluid when the microfluid is injected into the microfluid apparatus and the spectrophotometer detects resonance wavelength shifts in the reflection according to the surface plasmon waves thereby detecting the presence of the extracellular vesicle in the microfluid.

1 . Detection system for detecting at least one extracellular vesicle in a microfluid, comprising:
 a broadband light source, generating at least one incident beam of light in the near infrared (NIR) region;   collimating optics;   focusing optics;   a coupler, positioned between said collimating optics and said focusing optics;   a spectrophotometer;   a microfluid apparatus, comprising an inlet and an outlet; and   an active sensing element, positioned inside said microfluid apparatus,   said active sensing element comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a metal layer with a thickness of 15-50 nanometers, deposited on said substrate; and 
 a dielectric waveguide layer, deposited on said thin metal layer, 
   wherein said thin metal layer and said dielectric waveguide layer each comprise a plurality of waveguides;   wherein said collimating optics collimates said at least one incident beam of light on said substrate via said coupler;   wherein said focusing optics receives at least one reflection of said at least one incident beam of light and provides said at least one reflection to said spectrophotometer;   wherein said active sensing element causes surface plasmon waves in said microfluid when said microfluid is injected into said microfluid apparatus; and   wherein said spectrophotometer detects resonance wavelength shifts in said at least one reflection according to said surface plasmon waves thereby detecting the presence of said at least one extracellular vesicle in said microfluid.   
     
     
         2 . The detection system according to  claim 1 , wherein said coupler is selected from the list consisting of:
 a prism coupler having a high index of refraction; and   a diffraction grating.   
     
     
         3 . The detection system according to  claim 1 , wherein said spectrophotometer can detect said at least one reflection in a wavelength spectrum selected from the list consisting of:
 the visible wavelength spectrum;   near infrared (NIR) spectrum; and   the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum.   
     
     
         4 . The detection system according to  claim 1 , wherein said thin metal layer enables energy of said at least one incident beam of light to be tunneled into said plurality of waveguides. 
     
     
         5 . The detection system according to  claim 1 , wherein said dielectric waveguide layer has a thickness between 500-1500 nanometers. 
     
     
         6 . The detection system according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of waveguides have a plasmon-waveguide structure. 
     
     
         7 . The detection system according to  claim 1 , wherein said thin metal layer and said microfluid in said microfluid apparatus generate an asymmetric environment for said plurality of waveguides thereby increasing a sensitivity of said active sensing element. 
     
     
         8 . The detection system according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of said active sensing element is functionalized with at least one antibody. 
     
     
         9 . Detection system for detecting at least one extracellular vesicle in a microfluid, comprising:
 a coherent light source, generating at least one incident beam of light in the near infrared (NIR) region;   collimating optics;   focusing optics;   a coupler, positioned between said collimating optics and said focusing optics;   an optical detector;   a microfluid apparatus, comprising an inlet and an outlet; and   an active sensing element, positioned inside said microfluid apparatus,   said active sensing element comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a thin metal layer, deposited on said substrate; and 
 a dielectric waveguide layer, deposited on said thin metal layer, 
   wherein said thin metal layer and said dielectric waveguide layer each comprise a plurality of waveguides;   wherein said collimating optics collimates said at least one incident beam of light on said substrate via said coupler;   wherein said focusing optics receives at least one reflection of said at least one incident beam of light and provides said at least one reflection to said optical detector;   wherein said active sensing element causes surface plasmon waves in said microfluid when said microfluid is injected into said microfluid apparatus; and   wherein said optical detector detects shifts in optical intensity in said at least one reflection according to said surface plasmon waves thereby detecting the presence of said at least one extracellular vesicle in said microfluid.   
     
     
         10 . The detection system according to  claim 9 , wherein said coherent light source is a laser diode. 
     
     
         11 . The detection system according to  claim 10 , wherein said laser diode has an operational wavelength of 785 nanometers. 
     
     
         12 . The detection system according to  claim 10 , wherein said laser diode has an operational wavelength in accordance with a required sensitivity and detection dynamic range. 
     
     
         13 . The detection system according to  claim 9 , wherein said optical detector has a fixed angle in relation to said coupler. 
     
     
         14 . The detection system according to  claim 9 , wherein said optical detector detects shifts in optical reflectance of said at least one reflection at a fixed wavelength of said at least one incident beam of light.