Our member Delta Optical Thin Film produces optical filters for Qlifes Egoo system in large quantities. Egoo is a transportable analysis instrument for SARS-CoV-2. The testing device Egoo was developed to be able to test for a long list of bio-markers. Central to Egoo are the optical filters that have to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 is present in the sample. A specific element of the virus's RNA strand has been amplified, and a fluorescent molecule attaches itself to each new strand. This means that the sample is illuminated by light of a specific wavelength, the light is absorbed, and the fluorescent molecule begins to emit light of a longer wavelength. The more light is emitted from the fluorescent molecule, the greater the number of amplified strands. Here, it is important that the light that illuminates the sample, and the light from the fluorescent molecule are strictly separated so that the photodiode does not measure the light from the light source, but only the light from the fluorescent molecules.
With optical filters, the art is to add hundreds of dielectric layers with different refractive indices, and with extreme accuracy. The light filtering function is triggered in the event of interference between the inter-reflected light waves. In the present case, three different filters had to be used, and the team succeeded in getting them all right on the first attempt. Thereafter, the filters had to be cut out so that they can fit into small devices, such as Egoo. In the present case, the filters only measure 4x4 mm², but Delta Optical Thin Film is also able to manufacture filters that are even smaller.
For more information about the Egoo and Delta Optical Thin Film visit our partner website: https://www.deltaopticalthinfilm.com/the-covid-19-pandemic-has-accelerated-product-development/