Apparatus and method employing incoherent light emitting semiconductor devices as particle detection light sources in a flow cytometer
US6813017B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 19, 2000 |
| Grant date | Nov 2, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 9, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2015/1493
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and method for examining particles in a flow stream of a flow cytometer, employing incoherent light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), and detectors. The light emitting diodes operate as the excitation light sources and emit light toward said flow stream, and the detectors detect light, in particular, fluorescent light, emanating from the particles in response to the excitation light striking the particles. A controller controls each of the light emitting diodes to emit their excitation light for a predetermined period during which the excitation light radiates onto particles of interest. The controller evaluates the detected light to ascertain characteristics of the particles, such as particle size, density and granularity. The apparatus and method can further employ one or more coherent and homogenous light emitting devices, such as a laser, as an additional excitation light source. The detectors can detect the LED-excited fluorescence or the laser-excited fluorescence from the particles, and the controller can evaluate both types of detected light to ascertain characteristics of the particles. Furthermore, the controller can control the LEDs to operate i…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.