Focal Plane Shift Element for Microfluidic Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fluidic processing systems, such as microfluidic chips, the distance from focusing elements to flow-paths can vary, leading to inconsistent light focusing across different paths, making it challenging to illuminate multiple flow-paths effectively with a single light source.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a focal plane shift element, which can be refractive or diffractive, with a laterally varying index of refraction or curvature, allowing light to be focused at multiple locations along the optical path, enabling simultaneous focusing of light beams at different distances to illuminate various flow-paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single focusing element is used to illuminate multiple flow-paths, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates because the distance from the focusing element to each flow-path varies, making it difficult to achieve consistent focusing across all paths
Solution Approach 1:
The optical element is designed with spatially varying optical properties (different focal lengths or lens powers at different locations) to match the varying distances to different flow-paths. This allows each region of the optical element to focus light appropriately for its corresponding flow-path, achieving consistent focusing across multiple paths with a single element.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters (focal length, refractive index) of the optical element across different spatial locations. By varying these parameters locally, the system compensates for the varying distances to different flow-paths and achieves uniform focusing performance across all illuminated paths.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple focusing elements are used to achieve consistent focusing across different flow-paths, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple focusing functions into a single optical element by creating a composite lens structure with spatially varying optical properties. This merging approach maintains the focusing precision of multiple elements while reducing the overall device complexity to a single integrated component.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the flow-paths are positioned at different distances from the light source, then the adaptability of the system is improved, but the illumination intensity deteriorates due to inconsistent focusing
Solution Approach 1:
The optical element is designed with spatially varying optical properties (different focal lengths or lens powers at different locations) to match the varying distances to different flow-paths. This allows each region of the optical element to focus light appropriately for its corresponding flow-path, achieving consistent focusing across multiple paths with a single element.
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 solution allows for reliable and efficient illumination of multiple flow-paths at different optical path lengths from a single light source, improving the ability to monitor, analyze, and detect particles or liquids across a microfluidic system with consistent focusing, even when flow-paths are not perpendicular to the incident light beam.
Implementation Method 1
the focal plane shift element is a refractive element. The focal plane shift element may have a laterally varying index of refraction.
Implementation Method 2
The focal plane shift element may be a diffractive element.
Data Source
AI summary
Focal plane shift elements and optical systems with focal plane shifting features for illuminating flow-paths in a fluidic processing system are disclosed. An optical system may include a light source providing an incident first light beam. The optical system may include at least one optical element configured to collect and focus the incident first light beam to produce a second light beam having different portions simultaneously focused at two or more different locations along an optical path, with each location corresponding to a different flow-path of the fluidic processing system. The focal plane shift elements and optical systems with focal plane shifting features may be particularly useful in a microfluidic system.