Abstract: A photoacoustic detecting device to be applied, via a contact face, against a medium to be analyzed, the device comprising: a hollow cavity; a light source that is pulsed or amplitude-modulated; an acoustic detector configured to detect an acoustic wave extending through the cavity, the device further comprises an interface membrane, forming the contact face, the interface membrane being configured to: form an interface between the gas, filling the cavity, and the medium to be analyzed; block passage of a liquid or gel between the medium to be analyzed and the cavity; and generate an acoustic pressure wave inside the cavity, under the effect of a variation in the temperature of the interface membrane, the temperature variation of the interface membrane being induced by heating of the medium resulting from illumination of the medium.

Abstract: The invention is a device and method for detecting an analyte in a medium. An exciting light source produces an exciting light wave, which propagates to the medium and heats the latter. The device comprises a transducer for detecting the heating of the medium. According to one embodiment, the transducer is a thermal transducer, configured to detect a variation in the temperature of the medium. According to another embodiment, the transducer is an acoustic transducer, configured to detect a photoacoustic wave propagating from the medium. Whatever the embodiment, the transducer employs a membrane, on which a waveguide is placed. The waveguide comprises a resonant optical cavity. Transduction is achieved by analyzing a variation in a resonant wavelength of the optical cavity.

Abstract: A photoacoustic detecting device comprises a housing which houses: a lighting module, a photoacoustic cell, comprising an surface contact intended to be placed in contact with the medium to analyse, a photoacoustic cavity extending from the surface contact to a top of the photoacoustic cell, at least one window closing the top of the photoacoustic cell or the contact surface of the photoacoustic cell, at least one subwavelength pattern located on a surface of said window, said subwavelength pattern being configured to focus the light beam on an surface of interest of the medium to analyse, a sensor, linked to the cavity, the sensor being configured to detect a generated signal, said generated signal being generated in the photoacoustic cavity by a photothermic effect in the medium, and wherein the photoacoustic cell, the window and the subwavelength pattern are formed on a single silicon wafer.

Abstract: A photoacoustic detecting device comprises a housing which houses: a lighting module, a photoacoustic cell, comprising an surface contact intended to be placed in contact with the medium to analyse, a photoacoustic cavity extending from the surface contact to a top of the photoacoustic cell, at least one window closing the top of the photoacoustic cell or the contact surface of the photoacoustic cell, at least one subwavelength pattern located on a surface of said window, said subwavelength pattern being configured to focus the light beam on an surface of interest of the medium to analyse, a sensor, linked to the cavity, the sensor being configured to detect a generated signal, said generated signal being generated in the photoacoustic cavity by a photothermic effect in the medium, and wherein the photoacoustic cell, the window and the subwavelength pattern are formed on a single silicon wafer.

Abstract: A process for non-invasively analyzing a target with an analysis apparatus comprises an intensity modulation device, a light emitter emitting an intensity-modulated light, a detection cell comprising a sensor sensing directly or indirectly a thermal wave propagating out of the target in response to an irradiation of said target by the light emitted, a processor module configured to receive and process sensor data from at least one detection cell. The process comprises carrying out at least two irradiations of the target with the light emitter in a first mode, the modulation frequency of the intensity of the light emitted being swept during each of the irradiations in the first mode over a frequency sweep range, and the processor module receiving sensor data from a detection cell for each of the at least one irradiation in the first mode and forming with the processor module a time series.

Abstract: A photoacoustic detecting device to be applied, via a contact face, against a medium to be analyzed, is disclosed. The device includes: a hollow cavity that opens onto a contact aperture, the contact aperture being produced in the contact face; a pulsed or amplitude-modulated light source configured to emit, when activated, an incident light beam, in an emission spectral band, through the cavity, to the contact aperture; and an acoustic transducer connected to the cavity and configured to detect a photoacoustic wave extending through the cavity. Under the effect of illuminating the medium by the incident light beam, the acoustic transducer detects an acoustic wave produced by heating the medium. The cavity includes a membrane extending through the cavity, facing the contact face. The membrane is bounded by a lower face and an upper face. The membrane includes through-apertures produced between the lower face and the upper face.

Abstract: Photoacoustic detecting device (1), intended to be applied, via a contact face (3), against a medium to be analysed, the device comprising: a hollow cavity (20) comprising a first aperture (22) produced in the contact face, the cavity being bounded by a containment shell (21) that extends around the first aperture; a pulsed or amplitude-modulated light source (10) configured to emit, in an emission spectral band (??), an incident light wave (11) through the cavity (20) to the first aperture; an acoustic transducer (28) linked to the cavity and configured to detect a photoacoustic wave (12) extending through the cavity. The photoacoustic detecting device is optimized to increase the amplitude of the photoacoustic wave detected by the acoustic transducer.

Abstract: A device for observing a biological sample is provided, including: a light source to emit a light beam at a wavelength between 1 ?m and 20 ?m; an image sensor including pixels defining a detection plane; a holder to hold the sample between the source and the sensor at a distance from the plane smaller than 1 mm, such that the source is configured to illuminate an area of the sample larger than 1 mm2, no image-forming optics are placed between the sample and the sensor, and the sensor is configured to acquire an image corresponding to an area of the sample larger than 1 mm2 and representative of an absorption of the beam by the sample at the wavelength; and a processor to determine a map of an amount of analyte in the sample, based on the image acquired by the sensor, the analyte absorbing light at the wavelength.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for detecting an acoustic wave propagating toward a membrane, the membrane carrying a waveguide comprising an optical cavity defining a resonant frequency. Under the effect of a vibration of the membrane, the resonance frequency of the optical cavity varies. The device includes a light source for directing a light wave into the optical cavity, and a servo circuit for servo-controlling the wavelength of the light wave to the resonant wavelength of the optical cavity. Monitoring the variation in the wavelength of the light wave allows an amplitude of the acoustic wave to be estimated.

Abstract: A device for combining several light beams, the device including several hollow input waveguides, at least one per light beam, as well as a hollow output waveguide which is the same for the different light beams, each input waveguide having an input opening to let the corresponding light beam enter, and, at the opposite, an output opening through which it emerges in the output waveguide, the output waveguide, as well as each input waveguide being laterally delimited by one or more metallic reflecting surfaces, and wherein at least a section of the output waveguide is divergent and widens in the direction of an output opening of the output waveguide.

Abstract: The invention is a device and method for detecting an analyte in a medium. An exciting light source produces an exciting light wave, which propagates to the medium and heats the latter. The device comprises a transducer for detecting the heating of the medium. According to one embodiment, the transducer is a thermal transducer, configured to detect a variation in the temperature of the medium. According to another embodiment, the transducer is an acoustic transducer, configured to detect a photoacoustic wave propagating from the medium. Whatever the embodiment, the transducer employs a membrane, on which a waveguide is placed. The waveguide comprises a resonant optical cavity. Transduction is achieved by analyzing a variation in a resonant wavelength of the optical cavity.

Abstract: Photoacoustic detecting device (1) intended to be applied, via a contact face (3), against a medium (2) to be analysed, the device comprising: a hollow cavity (20) that opens onto a contact aperture (22), the contact aperture being produced in the contact face; a pulsed or amplitude-modulated light source (10) configured to emit, when it is activated, an incident light beam (11), in an emission spectral band (LA), through the cavity (20), to the contact aperture; an acoustic transducer (28) connected to the cavity, and configured to detect a photoacoustic wave (12) extending through the cavity; such that, under the effect of an illumination of the medium by the incident light beam, the acoustic transducer detects an acoustic wave produced by heating of the medium (2); wherein the cavity comprises a membrane extending through the cavity, facing the contact face; the membrane is bounded by a lower face (23i) and an upper face (23s), the membrane comprising through-apertures (23o) produced between the lowe

Abstract: A device for observing a biological sample is provided, including: a light source to emit a light beam at a wavelength between 1 ?m and 20 ?m; an image sensor including pixels defining a detection plane; a holder to hold the sample between the source and the sensor at a distance from the plane smaller than 1 mm, such that the source is configured to illuminate an area of the sample larger than 1 mm2, no image-forming optics are placed between the sample and the sensor, and the sensor is configured to acquire an image corresponding to an area of the sample larger than 1 mm2 and representative of an absorption of the beam by the sample at the wavelength; and a processor to determine a map of an amount of analyte in the sample, based on the image acquired by the sensor, the analyte absorbing light at the wavelength.

Abstract: A method is provided for observing a biological sample between a light source and a pixelated image sensor, the light emitting an incident light beam, which propagates to the sample along a propagation axis and at an emission wavelength, the method including: illuminating the sample with the source; and acquiring an image of the sample with the sensor, no image-forming optic being placed between the sample and the sensor, the sample absorbing some of the beam, such that the acquired image is representative of an absorption of the beam by the sample at the emission wavelength, the source illuminates an area of the sample larger than 1 mm2, the image acquired of the sample by the sensor corresponds to an area of sample larger than 1 mm2, and pixels of the sensor define a detection plane, the sample being placed at a distance from the plane smaller than 1 mm.

Abstract: Photoacoustic detecting device (1), intended to be applied, via a contact face (3), against a medium to be analysed, the device comprising: a hollow cavity (20) comprising a first aperture (22) produced in the contact face, the cavity being bounded by a containment shell (21) that extends around the first aperture; a pulsed or amplitude-modulated light source (10) configured to emit, in an emission spectral band (??), an incident light wave (11) through the cavity (20) to the first aperture; an acoustic transducer (28) linked to the cavity and configured to detect a photoacoustic wave (12) extending through the cavity. The photoacoustic detecting device is optimized to increase the amplitude of the photoacoustic wave detected by the acoustic transducer.

Abstract: A method is provided for observing a biological sample between a light source and a pixelated image sensor, the light emitting an incident light beam, which propagates to the sample along a propagation axis and at an emission wavelength, the method including: illuminating the sample with the source; and acquiring an image of the sample with the sensor, no image-forming optic being placed between the sample and the sensor, the sample absorbing some of the beam, such that the acquired image is representative of an absorption of the beam by the sample at the emission wavelength, the source illuminates an area of the sample larger than 1 mm2, the image acquired of the sample by the sensor corresponds to an area of sample larger than 1 mm2, and pixels of the sensor define a detection plane, the sample being placed at a distance from the plane smaller than 1 mm.

Abstract: The invention is a method for estimating the amount of analyte in a fluid sample, and in particular in a bodily fluid. The sample is mixed with a reagent able to form a color indicator in the presence of the analyte. The sample is then illuminated by a light beam produced by a light source; an image sensor forms an image of the beam transmitted by the sample, from which image a concentration of the analyte in the fluid is estimated. The method is intended to be implemented in compact analyzing systems. One targeted application is the determination of the glucose concentration in blood.

Abstract: The method enables a concentration of a species in a culture medium (12) to be estimated using an estimation system (10) comprising a light source (16), a transparent substrate (14) and a matrix photodetector (18), the substrate being located between the source and the photodetector, the medium comprising biological particles (32) and changing color when said concentration varies. Said method comprises the following steps:—placing the medium on the substrate,—illuminating the medium via the light source,—acquisition of an image of the medium via the photodetector, each image being formed by a ray transmitted by the illuminated medium and comprising at least one diffraction pattern, each diffraction pattern corresponding to the waves diffracted by a biological particle when the medium is illuminated,—and calculating an estimate of said concentration as a function of a pixel intensity of the acquired image.

Abstract: The invention is a method for estimating the amount of analyte in a fluid sample, and in particular in a bodily fluid. The sample is mixed with a reagent able to form a color indicator in the presence of the analyte. The sample is then illuminated by a light beam produced by a light source; an image sensor forms an image of the beam transmitted by the sample, from which image a concentration of the analyte in the fluid is estimated. The method is intended to be implemented in compact analyzing systems. One targeted application is the determination of the glucose concentration in blood.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for quantifying the level of agglutination of particles in a sample, in particular a biological sample, and notably blood. The biological sample is positioned between a light source and a matrix photodetector. The image acquired by the photodetector is representative of the level of agglutination of the particles in the sample. The light source emits a light wave, the spectral band of which extends an optimum 400 and 600 nm, which constitutes an optimum an excessively low absorption and excessively high absorption, given the thickness of the sample.