Automatic Analyzer Optical Transmission System for High S/N Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic analyzers face challenges in achieving high signal-to-noise (S/N) analysis for trace amounts of luminescent substances due to the cooling of detectors, which reduces light collection, and the proximity of detectors to temperature-controlled flow cells introduces heat-related noise, making it difficult to maintain stable high-S/N detection.
Innovation Solution
An automatic analyzer with an optical transmission system that includes a light inlet, a light outlet, and a reflector to direct light from the optical window to the photo detector, minimizing light loss and reducing the influence of flow cell temperature on the detector, thereby enhancing sensitivity and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the detector is surrounded by a cooler to reduce noise, then the noise is reduced, but the detector is distanced from the optical window causing light collection to be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
An optical transmission system acts as an intermediary component between the optical window and the detector. This system includes light inlet, light outlet, and reflector components that transmit and redirect light from the optical window to the detector while allowing the detector to remain physically separated from the optical window, thus maintaining both noise reduction and light collection efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The optical transmission system uses reflective surfaces to redirect light paths in three-dimensional space. By using reflectors positioned at specific angles, the system captures light emitted from the optical window and redirects it to the detector through a multi-dimensional optical path, effectively increasing light collection without requiring direct proximity
2Illumination intensity
If the optical window is made thinner to bring the detector closer, then light leakage is prevented and light collection is improved, but the detector is influenced by the flow cell temperature causing increased noise
Solution Approach 1:
The optical transmission system serves as a thermal barrier and optical mediator. It transmits light effectively while preventing direct thermal contact between the detector and the flow cell, thus maintaining light collection efficiency without exposing the detector to temperature-induced noise
Solution Approach 2:
The detector is extracted from the immediate vicinity of the flow cell and positioned at a distance where thermal influence is minimized. The optical transmission system is introduced to bridge the gap, extracting the detector from the thermal environment while maintaining optical connection
3Measurement precision
If the detector is placed close to the flow cell to maintain high S/N, then light collection is improved, but temperature influence from the flow cell causes unavoidable noise
Solution Approach 1:
The optical transmission system acts as a mediator that decouples the detector from thermal influences while maintaining optical coupling. This allows the system to achieve high S/N ratio through effective light collection while maintaining stability by isolating the detector from temperature fluctuations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables high-sensitivity and high-stability detection of trace amounts of luminescent substances, improving the reliability and usability of the analyzer by maintaining a high S/N ratio while minimizing temperature-related noise.
Implementation Method 1
a reflector configured to reflect light entered through the light inlet and directing the reflected light to the light outlet
Implementation Method 2
detecting light emitted from a reaction solution containing a luminescent substance... using a photo detector
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Disclosed is an automatic analyzer which can detect a trace amount of reaction solution at a high S/N with stability. The analyzer allows a photomultiplier (111) to detect light from the reaction solution (109) containing a luminescent substance (114) through an optical window (102). To process the output from the photomultiplier to analyze the amount of the luminescent substance (114) contained in the reaction solution (109), an optical transmission system (110) is interposed between the optical window (102) and the photomultiplier (111). The optical transmission system includes a light inlet opposed to the optical window; a light outlet opposed to the light-receiving surface of the detector; and a reflector on which an incident beam of light from the light inlet is reflected to propagate to the light outlet. This configuration allows the effects of temperature-dependent noise from a flow cell (101) to be reduced while preventing a drop in the amount of light from the luminescent substance (114), thereby implementing analysis at a high S/N.