Patent · US Expired

Flow cytometer for differentiating small particles in suspension

US7113266B1 · kind B1 · utility

95Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 30, 2005
Grant dateSep 26, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 14, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N15/1434
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A flow cytometer includes an optical flow cell through which particles to be characterized on the basis of at least their respective side-scatter characteristics are caused to flow seriatim. A plane-polarized laser beam produced by a laser diode is used to irradiate the particles as they pass through a focused elliptical spot having its minor axis oriented parallel to the particle flow path. Initially, the plane of polarization of the laser beam extends perpendicular to the path of particles through the flow cell. A half-wave plate or the like is positioned in the laser beam path to rotate the plane of polarization of the laser beam so that it is aligned with the path of particles before it irradiated particles moving along such path.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.