Optical system for a flow cytometer with an interrogation zone

• US 20110058163A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accuri Cytometers, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Accuri Cytometers, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Rich, Collin A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,432,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1434 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1459 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/141 using dichroic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces

Abstract

The optical system of the preferred embodiments includes a first light source that creates a first beam of a first wavelength, a first collimating element that collimates the first beam, a second light source 102 that creates a second beam of a second wavelength, a second collimating element that collimates the second beam, a beam combining element that combines the collimated beams, and a focusing element that focuses the combined collimated beam to a single point.

Claims

1. An optical system for a flow cytometer with an interrogation zone, the system comprising:

a first optical stage including;

a first light source that creates a first beam of a first wavelength;

a first collimating element that collimates the first beam from the first light source;

a second light source that creates a second beam of a second wavelength, which is different than the first wavelength;

a second collimating element that collimates the second beam from the second light source;

a first beam combining element that combines the collimated beams of the first and second collimating elements to form a combined collimated beam that is multichromatic; and

a second optical stage including;

a third light source that creates a third beam of a third wavelength, which is different than the first and second wavelengths;

a third collimating element that collimates the third beam from the third light source; and

a second beam combining element that combines the collimated beam of the third collimating element and the combined collimated beam to augment the combined collimated beam; and

a focusing element that focuses the combined collimated beam to a single point.

2. The optical system of claim 1, further including a bracket that includes an adjustable mount for the first light source and at least one of the second and third light sources, wherein the bracket allows for alignment of at least one of the second and third light sources relative to the first source.

3. The optical system of claim 2, wherein the adjustable mount is adjustable along two axes.

4. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the first light source is a blue laser and the second light source is a violet laser or a red laser.

5. The optical system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the light sources is produced by a laser diode.

6. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the focusing element is located on a flow cell of the flow cytometer.

7. The optical system of claim 6, wherein the light between the second beam combining element and the focusing element is a collimated beam, and wherein the light within the flow cell is focused light.

8. The optical system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and second beam combining elements is a beam splitter.

9. The optical system of claim 7, wherein the focusing element focuses a portion of a collimated beam on the single point when a collimated beam is partially incident on the focusing element.

10. The optical system of claim 9, further including an adjustable vertical lens positioned between the second beam combining element and the flow cell, wherein the lens modifies the position of the combined collimated beam.

11. optical system of claim 9, further including a changeable optical filter.

12. The optical system of claim 6, further including a beam shaping element that manipulates the combined collimated beam before the focusing element focuses the combined collimated beam.

13. The optical system of claim 1, further comprising a flow cell that defines the interrogation zone for the flow cytometer, wherein the focusing element is located on the flow cell.

14. The optical system of claim 13, wherein the light between the second beam combining element and the focusing element is a collimated beam, and wherein the light inside the flow cell is focused light.

15. The optical system of claim 14 wherein the focusing element focuses a portion of a collimated beam on the single point when a collimated beam is partially incident on the focusing element.

16. The optical system of claim 15, further including an adjustable vertical lens positioned between the beam combining element and the flow cell, wherein the lens modifies the position of the combined collimated beam.

17. The optical system of claim 15, further including a changeable optical filter.

18. The optical system of claim 13, further including a beam shaping element that manipulates the combined collimated beam before the focusing element focuses the combined collimated beam.

19. The optical system of claim 1 further comprising a base, wherein the first light source, the second light source, and the beam combining element are mounted to the base.

20. The optical system of claim 19 wherein the first collimating element is mounted to the first light source, and wherein the second collimating element is mounted to the second light source.

21. The optical system of claim 19 further comprising a flow cell that defines the interrogation zone for the flow cytometer, wherein the focusing element is located on the flow cell, and wherein the flow cell is mounted to the base.