Flow Cytometer Light Collection Enhancer for Recovering Missed Scatter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow cytometers fail to detect a substantial portion of side-scattered and fluorescent light emitted by particles in a flow stream due to the light being outside the single light collection cone, leading to incomplete characterization and analysis.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a light collection enhancer with a reflective optical element and a condenser lens to redirect and focus particle-modulated light propagating within a second light collection cone, allowing for increased detection of light outside the conventional collection cone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single light collection cone is used in conventional flow cytometers, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but a substantial portion of side-scattered and fluorescent light is not detected, leading to incomplete characterization
Solution Approach 1:
The light collection enhancer is positioned within the flow cell assembly, nesting additional optical functionality inside the existing flow cell structure. This allows the second light collection cone to be integrated without significantly increasing external device complexity while improving light detection completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a second light collection cone that collects light from a different angular dimension compared to the first cone. This multi-dimensional light collection approach captures light that would otherwise escape, improving measurement precision without requiring a complete redesign of the optical system
2Measurement precision
If light collection is limited to a single cone, then the device complexity is minimized, but the signal-to-noise ratio and quality of data are reduced due to loss of light information
Solution Approach 1:
The light collection enhancer recovers light that would otherwise be discarded by the single-cone collection system. By capturing light in the second cone and redirecting it through the reflective optical element and condenser lens, the system recovers valuable signal information that was previously lost
Solution Approach 2:
The reflective optical element and condenser lens act as intermediaries to redirect and focus the light collected by the second cone onto the detector. This intermediary mechanism enables the system to capture and utilize light from additional angular regions, improving the signal-to-noise ratio
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
Enhances the sensitivity of flow cytometers by increasing the total amount of detected light, improving the signal-to-noise ratio and quality of data by collecting and focusing previously undetected light.
Implementation Method 1
a light collection enhancer for collecting particle-modulated light propagating within a second light collection cone and redirecting the collected light such that it is back-propagated along the same optical path
Implementation Method 2
The condenser lens may subsequently focus the back-propagated particle-modulated light onto the interrogation point of the flow cell
Data Source
AI summary
Flow cytometers including light collection enhancers are provided. In embodiments, the subject flow cytometers include a flow cell, a light source, an objective lens for focusing particle-modulated light propagating within a first light collection cone and a light collection enhancer configured to collect particle-modulated light propagating along an optical path within a second light collection cone and redirect the collected light such that it is back-propagated along the same optical path and focused by the objective lens for detection. Light collection enhancers of interest include a reflective optical element (e.g., a mirror) and a condenser lens positioned between the reflective optical element and the flow cell. Methods for analyzing a sample are also provided.