Optical Fiber Flow Cytometry for Uniform Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow cytometry systems face challenges with high costs due to expensive lasers, bulkiness, and complexity, as well as issues with Relative Intensity Noise (RIN) and spatial non-uniformity of the laser beam, which complicate measurement accuracy and require skilled technicians for alignment.
Innovation Solution
The use of an optical fiber with a multimode core for uniform spatial illumination and a passageway intersecting the fiber to guide fluid and particles, eliminating the need for complex capillaries and sheath fluids, and incorporating a light emitting diode as a light source for simplified beam delivery and detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a laser is used as the light source in flow cytometry, then the beam intensity is sufficient to excite particles and generate detectable fluorescence, but the system becomes expensive and produces stray light that interferes with measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional laser-based optical system with an optical fiber-based system. The optical fiber acts as a waveguide that transmits light from a simpler source (such as a LED or lamp) through the interaction region, eliminating the need for complex laser alignment and reducing stray light interference while maintaining sufficient illumination intensity for particle excitation and fluorescence detection.
2Illumination intensity
If a laser is used to provide high intensity light, then particle excitation is effective, but relative intensity noise and spatial non-uniformity complicate measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber transmission system replaces the laser, providing more uniform spatial illumination and reducing relative intensity noise. The fiber acts as a passive waveguide that distributes light evenly across the interaction region, improving measurement precision while maintaining adequate intensity for particle excitation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the light source parameters by using non-laser sources (LEDs or lamps) that inherently provide more uniform emission characteristics. By modifying the illumination parameters through the optical fiber waveguide, the system achieves better spatial uniformity and lower noise levels while maintaining sufficient intensity for effective particle analysis.
3Stability of the object's composition
If complex optical elements are used to shape and focus the laser beam, then the beam quality is improved, but the device becomes bulkier and more expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for complex optical elements (lenses, mirrors, filters) by using an optical fiber as a self-contained light transmission medium. The fiber's waveguide structure inherently shapes and delivers the light beam with uniform quality directly to the interaction region, simplifying the overall optical system while maintaining beam stability and quality.
4Measurement precision
If skilled technicians are used to adjust and align the laser beam, then measurement precision is achieved, but the ease of operation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber system eliminates the need for skilled manual alignment and adjustment of laser beams. The fiber is pre-assembled with the interaction region, providing a fixed and stable light transmission path that requires no technical skill to align or adjust during operation, thereby greatly simplifying ease of operation while maintaining measurement precision.
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
This approach simplifies the beam delivery system, reduces costs, and enhances measurement accuracy by providing stable and uniform illumination, allowing for efficient detection of microscopic particles without the need for skilled technicians and minimizing noise artifacts.
Implementation Method 1
excitation light guided by the optical fiber across the passageway and intersects the fluid therein
Implementation Method 2
The optical core is made multimode and is adapted to shape the excitation light with a uniform spatial illumination over a cross-section of the optical core
Implementation Method 3
incorporating a light emitting diode as a light source for simplified beam delivery
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for analyzing a fluid with particle analytes, where the fluid is fed through a passageway within an optical fiber and excitation light is guided by the optical fiber across the passageway and intersects the fluid therein. The optical core is made multimode and is adapted to shape the excitation light with a uniform spatial illumination over a cross-section of the optical core and the passageway is configured relative to the optical core such that the particle analytes are exposed to substantially equal excitation light while circulating in the passageway.