1. An analytical test element for determining at least one analyte in a liquid, the analytical test element comprising:
a support having a first side;
at least one intermediate layer provided over a portion of the first side of the support;
a hydrophilic network comprising a non-absorbent fabric material having mesh interspaces with mesh widths of about 10 \u03bcm to about 500 \u03bcm, the hydrophilic network having a first side, a second side opposite the first side of the hydrophilic network, and a channel-covering portion, the first side of the hydrophilic network facing the first side of the support, the hydrophilic network provided over at least a portion of the at least one intermediate layer such that the channel-covering portion, lateral surfaces of the portion of the at least one intermediate layer underneath the hydrophilic network, and the first side of the support together define a capillary channel between the support and the hydrophilic network; and
at least one capillary-active detection element having a contact side, the at least one capillary-active detection element provided over at least a portion of the hydrophilic network such that the contact side faces the second side of the hydrophilic network, such that the entire contact side is in direct contact with the second side of the hydrophilic network and defines a contact zone of the hydrophilic network and the at least one capillary-active detection element, and such that at least a portion of the contact side contacts the channel-covering portion of the hydrophilic network and defines a fluidic-connection portion of the contact side,
wherein the liquid can be transported through the hydrophilic network only where the channel-covering portion of the hydrophilic network contacts the fluidic-connection portion of the contact side of the at least one capillary-active detection element, and wherein the contact zone comprises continuous capillary-active spaces from the capillary channel to the at least one capillary-active detection element through the mesh interspaces of the hydrophilic network.
2. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the non-absorbent fabric material is a monofilament fabric.
3. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the non-absorbent fabric material comprises polyethylene terephthalate.
4. The analytical test element of claim 3, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is hydrophilized.
5. The analytical test element of claim 4, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is hydrophilized with a wetting agent.
6. The analytical test element of claim 5, wherein the wetting agent is selected from dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, oleoyl sarcosine acid, or combinations thereof.
7. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic network has a mesh width from about 20 \u03bcm to about 300 \u03bcm.
8. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic network has a mesh width from about 50 \u03bcm to about 150 \u03bcm.
9. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic network has a fiber diameter from of between about 10 \u03bcm to about 300 \u03bcm.
10. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic network has a fiber diameter from about 30 \u03bcm to about 150 \u03bcm.
11. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic network has a fiber diameter from about 50 \u03bcm to about 100 \u03bcm.
12. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic network has a thickness from about 10 \u03bcm to about 500 \u03bcm.
13. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic network has a thickness from about 20 \u03bcm to about 300 \u03bcm.
14. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic network has a thickness from about 50 \u03bcm to about 150 \u03bcm.
15. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the capillary-active detection element comprises one or more reagents employed in the detection reaction of the analyte in the liquid.
16. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the capillary-active detection element comprises filter structures for particulate sample components.
17. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein a plurality of individual capillary-active detection elements are arranged on the second side of the hydrophilic network facing away from the capillary channel, said individual detection elements being spatially separated from one another by liquid-impermeable boundaries.
18. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the detection element can detect the presence, absence, or concentration of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, total haemoglobin, or a combination thereof.
19. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the detection element detects the presence, absence, or concentration of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, total haemoglobin, or a combination thereof in whole blood or a blood product derived therefrom.
20. The analytical test element of claim 19, wherein the blood product is serum or plasma.
21. A method for determining at least one analyte in a liquid, the method comprising:
a) contacting a liquid sample with an analytical test element, the test element comprising
a support having a first side;
at least one intermediate layer provided over a portion of the first side of the support;
a hydrophilic network comprising a non-absorbent fabric material having mesh interspaces with mesh widths of about 10 \u03bcm to about 500 \u03bcm, the hydrophilic network having a first side, a second side, and a channel-covering portion, the first side of the hydrophilic network facing the first side of the support, the hydrophilic network provided over at least a portion of the at least one intermediate layer such that the channel-covering portion, lateral surfaces of the portion of the at least one intermediate layer underneath the hydrophilic network, and the first side of the support together define a capillary channel between the support and the hydrophilic network; and
at least one capillary-active detection element having a contact side, the at least one capillary-active detection element provided over at least a portion of the hydrophilic network such that the contact side faces the second side of the hydrophilic network, such that the entire contact side is in direct contact with the second side of the hydrophilic network and defines a contact zone of the hydrophilic network and the at least one capillary-active detection element, and such that at least a portion of the contact side contacts the channel-covering portion of the hydrophilic network and defines a fluidic-connection portion of the contact side,
wherein the liquid can be transported through the hydrophilic network only where the channel-covering portion of the hydrophilic network contacts the fluidic-connection portion of the contact side of the at least one capillary-active detection element, and wherein the contact zone comprises continuous capillary-active spaces from the capillary channel to the at least one capillary-active detection element through the mesh interspaces of the hydrophilic network;
b) transporting the liquid in the capillary channel by capillary forces at least as far as the area of the capillary-active detection element;
c) transporting the liquid from the capillary channel across the hydrophilic network to the capillary-active detection element;
d) reacting the liquid with at least one reagent in the capillary-active detection element; and
e) observing an indicator of the presence, absence, or concentration of the analyte.
22. The analytical test element of claim 1, wherein the capillary channel further comprises a sample application area at a first end of the capillary channel, a vent hole at a second end of the capillary channel opposite the first end, or both.
23. An analytical test element for determining at least one analyte in a liquid, the analytical test element comprising:
a support having a first side with a recess defined therein;
a hydrophilic network comprising a non-absorbent fabric material having mesh interspaces with mesh widths of about 10 \u03bcm to about 500 \u03bcm, the hydrophilic network having a first side, a second side opposite the first side of the hydrophilic network, and a channel-covering portion, the first side of the hydrophilic network facing the first side of the support, the hydrophilic network provided over at least a portion of the first side of the support, the channel-covering portion covering at least a portion of the recess so as to define a capillary channel between the support and the channel-covering portion; and
at least one capillary-active detection element having a contact side, the at least one capillary-active detection element provided over at least a portion of the hydrophilic network such that the contact side faces the second side of the hydrophilic network, such that the entire contact side is in direct contact with the second side of the hydrophilic network and defines a contact zone of the hydrophilic network and the at least one capillary-active detection element, and such that at least a portion of the contact side contacts the channel-covering portion of the hydrophilic network and defines a fluidic-connection portion of the contact side,
wherein the liquid can be transported through the hydrophilic network only where the channel-covering portion of the hydrophilic network contacts the fluidic-connection portion of the contact side of the at least one capillary-active detection element, and wherein the contact zone comprises continuous capillary-active spaces from the capillary channel to the at least one capillary-active detection element through the mesh interspaces of the hydrophilic network.
24. The analytical test element of claim 23, wherein the non-absorbent fabric material is a monofilament fabric.
25. The analytical test element of claim 23, wherein the non-absorbent fabric material comprises polyethylene terephthalate hydrophilized with a wetting agent selected from the group consisting of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, oleoyl sarcosine acid, and combinations thereof.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system comprising:
a first planar antenna array comprising a plurality of polarized antennas for a first polarization and
a second planar antenna array comprising a plurality of polarized antennas for a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization and the second planar array is disposed over or under the first planar antenna array so that the first planar array and the second planar array are layered to form a wafer scale antenna module such that the wafer scale antenna module either transmits through the first planar antenna array and receives in the first planar antenna array as well as the second planar antenna array or transmits through the second planar antenna array and receives in the first planar antenna array as well as the second planar antenna array;
a feed network connecting a signal to each of the antennas;
a plurality of amplifiers dispersed in the feed network and configured to provide spatial power combining and beam forming of the signal; and
an image processor that combines processing from both first polarization reflected signals and second polarization reflected signals.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein:
the signal includes a transmitted signal and the amplifiers comprise power amplifiers.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein:
the signal includes a received signal and the amplifiers comprise low noise amplifiers.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes:
an image processor that combines processing from both first polarization reflected signals and second polarization reflected signals to provide image resolution enhanced over that provided by only the processing from the first polarization reflected signals or only the processing from the second polarization reflected signals.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein:
the planar antenna array has side dimensions less than 4.5 inches, placed on a substrate having diameter less than 6.0 inches;
side lobe suppression is at least 20 dB; and
cross polarization suppression is at least 20 dB.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein:
the first planar antenna array comprises a right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) layer antenna array in a first planar surface wherein each antenna includes a spiral plate; and
the second planar antenna array comprises a left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) layer antenna array in a second planar surface wherein each antenna includes a spiral plate.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein:
at least one of the transmitters and one of the receivers of the system operate at a carrier frequency of at least 8 GHz.
8. A radar system comprising:
a planar antenna array comprising a plurality of right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) antennas and left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) antennas in a planar surface;
a first feed network connecting a transmit signal to at least one of the antennas, including:
a plurality of power amplifiers dispersed in the first feed network and configured to provide spatial power combining and beam forming of the transmit signal; and
a second feed network connecting a first receive signal from at least one of the RHCP antennas and a second receive signal from at least one of the LHCP antennas, including:
a plurality of low noise amplifiers dispersed in the second feed network and configured to provide spatial power combining and beam forming of the first receive signal and spatial power combining and beam forming of the second receive signal; and
an image processor that combines processing from both the first receive signal and the second receive signal to provide image resolution enhanced over that provided by only the first receive signal processing or only the second receive signal processing.
9. The radar system of claim 8, wherein the system includes:
a high gain antenna array, with side dimensions less than 4.5 inches, placed on a substrate having diameter less than 6.0 inches, wherein cross polarization suppression is at least 20 dB.
10. The radar system of claim 8, wherein the system includes:
an antenna array comprising alternating right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) and left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) four-by-four antenna arrays in a planar surface.
11. The radar system of claim 8, wherein:
at least one of the transmitters and one of the receivers of the system operate at a carrier frequency of at least 8 GHz.
12. A method comprising:
transmitting a first signal having a first polarization or a second signal having a second polarization different from the first polarization using a planar antenna array comprising a plurality of right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) antennas and left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) antennas in a planar surface and a first feed network connecting the first signal to at least one of the antennas or the second signal to at least one of the antennas, wherein the first feed network comprises a plurality of power amplifiers dispersed in the first feed network and configured to provide spatial power combining and beam forming of the first signal and the second signal;
receiving a first reflected signal from at least one of the plurality of RHCP antennas and a second reflected signal from at least one of the plurality of LHCP antennas using the planar antenna array and a second feed network connecting the received first reflected signal and the received second reflected signal, wherein the second feed network comprises a plurality of low noise amplifiers dispersed in the second feed network and configured to provide spatial power combining and beam forming of the received first reflected signal and to provide spatial power combining and beam forming of the received second reflected signal;
performing a first image processing using the received first reflected signal;
performing a second image processing using the received second reflected signal;
combining the first and second image processing to provide image resolution enhanced over that provided by only the first image processing or only the second image processing.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the first signal having a first polarization includes feeding the signal to an antenna element having a spiral plate.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
displaying an image from the combined image processing from both the first reflected signal and the second reflected signal, wherein the first reflected signal has polarization orthogonal from that of the second reflected signal.
15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
performing spatial power combining and beam forming of the transmitted first signal and the transmitted second signal via the plurality of power amplifiers dispersed in the first feed network.
16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
performing spatial power combining and beam forming of the received first reflected signal and the received second reflected signal via the plurality of low noise amplifiers dispersed in the second feed network.
17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
performing spatial power combining and beam forming from the planar antenna array, wherein the planar antenna array comprises a high gain planar antenna array, with side dimensions less than 4.5 inches, placed on a substrate having diameter less than 6.0 inches, wherein side lobe suppression is at least 20 dB.
18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
performing spatial power combining and beam forming from the planar antenna array, wherein the planar antenna array comprises alternating right-hand circularly polarized (RHCP) and left-hand circularly polarized (LHCP) four-by-four antenna arrays in a planar surface.
19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
transmitting the first signal and the second signal and receiving the first reflected signal and the second reflected signal at a carrier frequency of at least 8 GHz.