Microchip optical transport technology for use in a personal flow cytometer
First Claim
1. A cell analysis apparatus comprising:
- a unitary optical module;
a microchip demultiplexing waveguide integral to said optical module,a flowing sample stream closely integrated with said optical module;
a light source for generating a light beam disposed so that the light beam interacts with the fluidic sample stream adjacent to an opening;
a plurality of photodetectors integral to said optical module;
means for collecting light scattered and emitted from the fluidic sample stream in response to the light beam;
means for transmitting collected light to the microchip waveguide; and
means for transmitting light from the microchip waveguide to the photodetectors.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultra-miniature personal flow cytometer (pFCM) for the measurement of laser-induced fluorescence. The pFCM is approximately the size of a fluorescent microscope and includes a miniature optical module onto which the flow cytometry components are coupled. The miniature optical module is closely integrated with a flow cell through which a sample cell stream flows. The advantage of the pFCM is its compact size and efficiency that is made possible due to the unique microchip demultiplexing waveguide utilized in the separation of fluorescent wavelengths. The microchip demultiplexing waveguide is wholly contained in a tiny microchip consisting of a wave channel layer, a buffer layer, a substrate layer, and a plurality of micrograting filters. Photodetectors may either be coupled to the microchip demultiplexing waveguide by individual fiber optic members or incorporated into the wave channel layer in a photodiode array. The pFCM has wide ranging applications, but in particular is very useful in the analysis of sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) because of its small size and simplicity in operating.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A cell analysis apparatus comprising:
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a unitary optical module; a microchip demultiplexing waveguide integral to said optical module, a flowing sample stream closely integrated with said optical module; a light source for generating a light beam disposed so that the light beam interacts with the fluidic sample stream adjacent to an opening; a plurality of photodetectors integral to said optical module; means for collecting light scattered and emitted from the fluidic sample stream in response to the light beam; means for transmitting collected light to the microchip waveguide; and means for transmitting light from the microchip waveguide to the photodetectors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An analysis system for detecting cell characteristics comprising:
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a fluidic cell stream for providing cells to be analyzed; light means for emitting light to illuminate said cells in said fluidic cell stream; an optical module comprising a microchip demultiplexing waveguide for separating different wavelengths of said light from said illuminated cells, said optical module closely integrated with said fluidic cell stream; detection means for detecting said different wavelengths separated by said waveguide; and amplifying means coupled to said detection means and said separation means for amplifying signals. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An ultra-miniature optical module closely integrated with a flowing sample stream, the ultra-miniature optical module comprising:
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a collection lens disposed to collect light from a flowing sample stream when the flowing sample stream is illuminated; a fiber optic member operationally coupled to said collection lens; a microchip demultiplexing waveguide optically coupled to said collection lens; and a photodetector operationally coupled to said waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification