In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.

Claims

20 · 2 independent · depth 3

20 granted claims

›1.independentA flow cytometer system, comprising:na flow cell for streaming a hydro-dynamically focused core stream past an interrogation zone;beam shaping optics …+9

›2.↳ 1The flow cytometer system of claim 1, wherein the core stream flows in a direction of the second axis, and wherein a flattened top portion of the flat…d2

›3.↳ 1The flow cytometer system of claim 1, wherein the flattened top portion of the flat-top shaped intensity profile has a coefficient of variation of les…d2+2

›6.↳ 1The flow cytometer system of claim 1, wherein the acylindrical lens is plano-convex and positioned to receive light on a planar side of the acylindric…d2

›7.↳ 1The flow cytometer system of claim 1, wherein the beam shaping optics comprises a collimating lens, the acylindrical lens positioned between the colli…d2

›8.↳ 1The flow cytometer system of claim 1, comprising a light source to provide the first light beam; the light source including a fiber coupled to a laser…d2

›9.↳ 1The flow cytometer system of claim 1, comprising a detection system to detect light from the flow cell.d2

›10.↳ 1The flow cytometer system of claim 1, wherein the core stream comprises a sample stream positioned within a sheath fluid, wherein the sample stream is…d2

›11.independentA method of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell, comprising:nstreaming a hydro-dynamically focused core stream past an interr…+9

›12.↳ 11The method of claim 11, wherein the core stream flows in a direction of the second axis, and wherein a flattened top portion of the flat-top shaped in…d2

›13.↳ 11The method of claim 11, wherein the flattened top portion of the flat-top shaped intensity profile has a coefficient of variation of less than 5%.d2+2

›16.↳ 11The method of claim 11, wherein the acylindrical lens is plano-convex and positioned to receive light on a planar side of the acylindrical lens and to…d2

›17.↳ 11The method of claim 11, wherein the beam shaping optics comprises a collimating lens, the acylindrical lens positioned between the collimating lens an…d2

›18.↳ 11The method of claim 11, comprising providing the first light beam with a light source, the light source including a fiber coupled to a laser.d2

›19.↳ 11The method of claim 11, comprising detecting light from the flow cell with a detection system.d2

›20.↳ 11The method of claim 11, wherein the core stream comprises a sample stream positioned within a sheath fluid, wherein the sample stream is generally a s…d2

Classifications

3 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section G — Physics

G01N15/14
G01N15/10
G02B27/09

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Pendency

2.7 y

977 days filing → grant

Office actions

non-final + final

Responses

1 RCE

Examiner

Francis M Legasse, Jr.

art unit 2878 · TC 2800

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Priority chain

2 priority documents

Priority

14 Mar 2013

earliest claimed

›Priority documents — 2

Type	Document	Date
provisional	US 61785922	14 Mar 2013
related publication	US 20140264097 A1	18 Sep 2014

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