Optical apparatus
First Claim
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1. An optical apparatus comprising:
- a flow source to produce a flow of sperm cells to be analyzed along a central axis, the flow source adapted to direct a flow of sperm cells through an inspection zone;
a source of electromagnetic radiation for irradiating sperm cells at the inspection zone;
an optical configuration having an optical axis, wherein the optical configuration focuses said electromagnetic radiation on the inspection zone and collects at least a portion of any electromagnetic radiation produced or deflected as a result of the illumination of the flow of sperm cells, wherein the optical axis of the optical configuration is coaxial with the central axis of the flow of sperm cells;
a sensor for sensing said electromagnetic radiation collected by the optical configuration;
a processor to derive predetermined information from the collected electromagnetic radiation; and
a correlator to correlate said information to sperm cells downstream of the inspection zone.
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Abstract
An optical apparatus for illuminating particles and for detecting emissions from illuminated particles in a flow cytometer having an optical configuration aligned with a flow or particles.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An optical apparatus comprising:
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a flow source to produce a flow of sperm cells to be analyzed along a central axis, the flow source adapted to direct a flow of sperm cells through an inspection zone; a source of electromagnetic radiation for irradiating sperm cells at the inspection zone; an optical configuration having an optical axis, wherein the optical configuration focuses said electromagnetic radiation on the inspection zone and collects at least a portion of any electromagnetic radiation produced or deflected as a result of the illumination of the flow of sperm cells, wherein the optical axis of the optical configuration is coaxial with the central axis of the flow of sperm cells; a sensor for sensing said electromagnetic radiation collected by the optical configuration; a processor to derive predetermined information from the collected electromagnetic radiation; and a correlator to correlate said information to sperm cells downstream of the inspection zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An optical apparatus comprising:
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a flow path with a central axis for flowing sperm cells to be analyzed through an inspection zone; a source of electromagnetic radiation for irradiating sperm cells at the inspection zone; an optical configuration, having an optical axis, wherein the optical configuration focuses said electromagnetic radiation on the inspection zone and collects at least a portion of any electromagnetic radiation produced or deflected as a result of the illumination of the flow of sperm cells, wherein the optical axis of the optical configuration is coaxial with the central axis of the flow of sperm cells; a sensor for sensing electromagnetic radiation collected by the optical configuration; a processor to derive predetermined information from the collected radiation; and a correlator to correlate said information to sperm cells downstream of the inspection zone.
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14. A method of analyzing comprising the steps of:
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a. flowing sperm cells to be analyzed along a central axis through an inspection zone; b. focusing a source of electromagnetic radiation at the inspection zone with an optical configuration having an optical axis; c. illuminating the sperm cells at the inspection zone with the focused electromagnetic radiation; d. collecting at least a portion of any electromagnetic radiation produced or deflected from the illumination of the flow of sperm cells with said optical configuration having an optical axis; e. sensing a portion of the electromagnetic radiation produced from the illumination of the flow of sperm cells wherein the optical axis of the optical configuration is substantially aligned with the central axis along with the sperm cells flow; and f. sorting sperm cells based on the sensed illumination. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification