Apparatus and Method for Analyzing a Material

Abstract

The invention relates, inter alia, to an apparatus for analyzing a material, including an excitation emission device for generating at least one electromagnetic excitation beam, in particular an exciting light beam, having at least one excitation wavelength, further including a detection device for detecting a reaction signal, and a device for analyzing the material on the basis of the detected reaction signal.

1 . An analysis device for analyzing a material having
 an excitation transmission device for generating at least one excitation light beam with at least one excitation wavelength, and radiating the at least one electromagnetic excitation beam into a material volume, which is located underneath a first region of the surface of the material,   an optical medium, which in operation is in contact with said first region of the surface of the material,   a detection device for detecting a response signal, and   a device for analyzing the material on the basis of the detected response signal.   
     
     
         2 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the device comprises a system for emitting a measurement beam, which is arranged so that the emitted measurement beam penetrates the optical medium and is reflected at an interface of the optical medium and the surface of the material, and   the detection device is a device for receiving the reflected measuring beam which forms the response signal and for directly or indirectly detecting a deflection of the reflected measuring beam.   
     
     
         3 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in order to detect a response signal, the detection device is configured to detect a parameter change of the optical medium in a region adjacent to the first region, as a result of the response signal, wherein said parameter change is one or both of a deformation and a density change of the optical medium.   
     
     
         4 . The analysis device according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the detection device comprises one of a piezo-element, which is connected to the optical medium or integrated therein, as a detector for detecting said deformation or density change and temperature sensors as detectors for detecting the response signal.   
     
     
         5 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the device comprises a device for the intensity modulation of the excitation light beam, and   the detection device is suitable for detecting a time-dependent response signal as a function of one or both of the wavelength of the excitation light and the intensity modulation of the excitation light.   
     
     
         6 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the excitation transmission device comprises two or more transmission elements in the form of a one-, two- or multi-dimensional transmission element array, wherein   the two or more transmission elements each generate their own electromagnetic excitation beam and radiate the same into the volume below the first region and   the wavelengths of the electromagnetic excitation beams of the two or more transmission elements are different.   
     
     
         7 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the excitation transmission device is directly, or indirectly by means of an adjustment device, mechanically fixedly connected to said optical medium.   
     
     
         8 . The analysis device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the device for the intensity modulation comprises or is formed by an electrical modulation device, which is electrically connected to the excitation transmission device and electrically controls it.   
     
     
         9 . The analysis device according  claim 5 , wherein
 the device for intensity modulation comprises one of a controlled mirror arranged in the beam path and a layer which is arranged in the beam path and is controllable with respect to its transparency, or is formed by such a layer.   
     
     
         10 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 one or more of a device for emitting a measuring beam, the detection device and the excitation transmission device is/are directly mechanically fixedly connected to the optical medium or coupled to the same by means of a fiber-optic cable.   
     
     
         11 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the optical medium directly supports an imaging optics, or an imaging optics is integrated into the optical medium.   
     
     
         12 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the surface of the optical medium has a plurality of partial faces inclined towards each other, at which the measuring beam is reflected multiple times.   
     
     
         13 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 one or more reflective surfaces are provided in or on the optical medium for reflecting the measuring beam.   
     
     
         14 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 one or more of the excitation transmission device, a device for the emission of a measuring beam and the detection device are directly attached to each other or to a common support.   
     
     
         15 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the excitation transmission device has an integrated semiconductor component, which comprises one or more laser elements and at least one micro-optical component and an additional modulation element.   
     
     
         16 . The analysis device according to  claim 1 , wherein the analysis device has a wearable housing which can be fastened to the body of a person, wherein the excitation transmission device and the detection device are arranged and configured in such a way that the material to be analyzed is measured on the side of the housing facing away from the body. 
     
     
         17 . The analysis device according to  claim 16 , wherein the housing of the device has a window which is transparent for the excitation light beam on its side facing away from the body in the intended wearing position. 
     
     
         18 . The analysis device according to  claim 16 , wherein the excitation transmission device has an integrated semiconductor component, which comprises a plurality of laser elements and a modulation element for modulating the intensity of excitation light beams generated by corresponding ones of said plurality of laser elements, wherein said modulation element is one of a mirror, which is movable relative to the rest of the semiconductor device and is controllable with respect to its position, a layer with controllable radiation permeability, and an electronic control circuit for the modulation of the plurality of laser elements. 
     
     
         19 . The analysis device according to  claim 16 , wherein the excitation transmission device is directly, or indirectly by means of an adjustment device, mechanically fixedly connected to said optical medium. 
     
     
         20 . The analysis device according to  claim 16 , wherein
 one or more of the excitation transmission device, the device for the emission of the measuring beam and the detection device are directly attached to each other or to a common support.   
     
     
         21 . The analysis device according to  claim 16 , wherein one or more of a device for emitting a measuring beam, the detection device and the excitation transmission device is/are directly mechanically fixedly connected to the optical medium or coupled to the same by means of a fiber-optic cable. 
     
     
         22 . A method for analyzing a material, wherein in the method
 an optical medium is brought into contact with a surface of the material,   with an excitation transmission device, at least one electromagnetic excitation light beam with at least one excitation wavelength is generated by an at least partially simultaneous or consecutive operation of a plurality of laser emitters of a laser light source, and the at least one excitation light beam is radiated into a material volume, which is located underneath a first region of the surface of the material,   with a detection device a response signal is detected and   the material is analyzed on the basis of the detected response signal.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein
 using different modulation frequencies of the excitation transmission device, response signals, in particular temporal response signal waveforms or patterns, are successively determined and wherein a plurality of response signal waveforms or patterns at different modulation frequencies are combined with each other and that, in particular, specific information for a depth range under the surface is obtained from this.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein
 response signal waveforms or patterns at different modulation frequencies are determined for different wavelengths of the excitation beam and from this, in particular specific information is obtained for each depth range under the surface.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein
 when a plurality of modulation frequencies of the excitation light beam are used at the same time, the detected signal is resolved into its frequencies by means of an analytical procedure, and   only the partial signal that corresponds to the desired frequency is filtered out.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the emitted excitation light beam is radiated in such a way that it penetrates the optical medium and exits the same at a predetermined point on the surface of the optical medium,   with a device for emitting a measuring beam, a measuring beam is generated in such a way that it penetrates the optical medium and is reflected at an interface of the optical medium and the surface of the material, and   a reflected measuring beam forming the response signal is measured with the detection device,   and the deflection of the reflected beam is directly or indirectly detected.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein
 said material is formed by a body part of a patient, and as a function of a material concentration identified in the material, a dosing device is activated for delivering a substance into the body of the patient, an acoustic or visual signal is output or a signal is delivered to a processing device via a wireless connection.