Abstract: Disclosed is an automated method and apparatus for automatically setting a drop delay period by detecting calibration particles in a waste stream. The drop delay is incremented over a series of drop delays and the number of calibration particles in the waste stream is detected for each drop delay. The drop delay is selected which has the least number of calibration particles in the waste stream.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for characterizing optical filters in a flow cytometer and optionally checking the operation of detectors in the flow cytometer. In some embodiments, the system may utilize an LED board having an opening through which the fluorescence and side scatter beams, rays, or images pass and light emitting diodes around the opening that emit light having different spectral profiles. The different spectral profiles allow the system to identify the optical filters that are placed in the flow cytometer, to verify detector operation, to assist in instrumentation troubleshooting, and to provide a quantitative reference for detector comparison.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for characterizing optical filters in a flow cytometer and optionally checking the operation of detectors in the flow cytometer. In some embodiments, the system may utilize an LED board having an opening through which the fluorescence and side scatter beams, rays, or images pass and light emitting diodes around the opening that emit light having different spectral profiles. The different spectral profiles allow the system to identify the optical filters that are placed in the flow cytometer, to verify detector operation, to assist in instrumentation troubleshooting, and to provide a quantitative reference for detector comparison.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for characterizing optical filters in a flow cytometer and optionally checking the operation of detectors in the flow cytometer. In some embodiments, the system may utilize an LED board having an opening through which the fluorescence and side scatter beams, rays, or images pass and light emitting diodes around the opening that emit light having different spectral profiles. The different spectral profiles allow the system to identify the optical filters that are placed in the flow cytometer, to verify detector operation, to assist in instrumentation troubleshooting, and to provide a quantitative reference for detector comparison.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automated method and apparatus for automatically setting a drop delay period by detecting calibration particles in a waste stream. The drop delay is incremented over a series of drop delays and the number of calibration particles in the waste stream is detected for each drop delay. The drop delay is selected which has the least number of calibration particles in the waste stream.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automated method and apparatus for automatically setting a drop delay period by detecting calibration particles in a waste stream. The drop delay is incremented over a series of drop delays and the number of calibration particles in the waste stream is detected for each drop delay. The drop delay is selected which has the least number of calibration particles in the waste stream.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for characterizing optical filters in a flow cytometer and optionally checking the operation of detectors in the flow cytometer. In some embodiments, the system may utilize an LED board having an opening through which the fluorescence and side scatter beams, rays, or images pass and light emitting diodes around the opening that emit light having different spectral profiles. The different spectral profiles allow the system to identify the optical filters that are placed in the flow cytometer, to verify detector operation, to assist in instrumentation troubleshooting, and to provide a quantitative reference for detector comparison.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods are provided for a tunable laser device. The tunable laser device may include a diffraction grating connected to a pivot arm that pivots the diffraction grating about a pivot point to tune the laser device. In pivoting the diffraction grating about the pivot point, both the wavelength to which the diffraction grating is tuned and the length of the optical cavity may be changed. The length of the pivot arm may be selected to reduce the number of mode hops of the tunable laser device when tuning the laser device over its tuning range.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods are provided for a tunable laser device. The tunable laser device may include a diffraction grating connected to a pivot arm that pivots the diffraction grating about a pivot point to tune the laser device. In pivoting the diffraction grating about the pivot point, both the wavelength to which the diffraction grating is tuned and the length of the optical cavity may be changed. The length of the pivot arm may be selected to reduce the number of mode hops of the tunable laser device when tuning the laser device over its tuning range.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods are provided for a tunable laser device. The tunable laser device may include a diffraction grating connected to a pivot arm that pivots the diffraction grating about a pivot point to tune the laser device. In pivoting the diffraction grating about the pivot point, both the wavelength to which the diffraction grating is tuned and the length of the optical cavity may be changed. The length of the pivot arm may be selected to reduce the number of mode hops of the tunable laser device when tuning the laser device over its tuning range.

Abstract: Two or more spatial filters are used in determining velocity based on speckle translation. A light source may be turned on, turned off, or both for a variable amount of time during operation. The velocity may then be determined with trend identification, correlation, recursive frequency estimation, or measurement bandwidth variation. A confidence level may also be calculated for the measured velocity, and the measured velocity reported or used only when the calculated confidence level meets or exceeds a given value.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical combiner for combining multiple laser beams in a flow cytometer. A dichroic beam combiner is used to combine a second laser beam with a first laser beam so that the two beams are collinear. A beam size adjuster is utilized to adjust the size and convergence/divergence of the second laser beam so that both laser beams focus in a vertical direction at the same location on a stream in the flow cytometer. A cylindrical lens with a vertically oriented axis in the focusable beam shaping optics can also be adjusted to adjust the location of the focus point of the two beams in the horizontal direction. Alignment is maintained with the opto-mechanical adjustments made on one laser beam relative to the other laser beam path. Additional beams can also be added to the optical path.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automated method and apparatus for automatically setting a drop delay period by detecting calibration particles in a waste stream. The drop delay is incremented over a series of drop delays and the number of calibration particles in the waste stream is detected for each drop delay. The drop delay is selected which has the least number of calibration particles in the waste stream.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical combiner for combining multiple laser beams in a flow cytometer. A dichroic beam combiner is used to combine a second laser beam with a first laser beam so that the two beams are collinear. A beam size adjuster is utilized to adjust the size and convergence/divergence of the second laser beam so that both laser beams focus in a vertical direction at the same location on a stream in the flow cytometer. A cylindrical lens with a vertically oriented axis in the focusable beam shaping optics can also be adjusted to adjust the location of the focus point of the two beams in the horizontal direction. Alignment is maintained with the opto-mechanical adjustments made on one laser beam relative to the other laser beam path. Additional beams can also be added to the optical path.

Abstract: A detection system. The detection system includes a substrate, a laser, and a sensor array. The substrate includes a first surface, a second surface conceptually divided into multiple areas, and a third surface. The laser is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation into the substrate and incident subsequently onto second surface areas. The sensor array is configured to capture electromagnetic radiation reflected from the second surface. If a first dielectric, having first dielectric constant, is in contact with some areas, electromagnetic radiation incident thereon experiences total internal reflection and if a second dielectric having second dielectric constant is in contact with other areas, some of the electromagnetic radiation incident thereon is reflected back into the substrate by the second dielectric.

Abstract: Two or more spatial filters are used in determining velocity based on speckle translation. A light source may be turned on, turned off, or both for a variable amount of time during operation. The velocity may then be determined with trend identification, correlation, recursive frequency estimation, or measurement bandwidth variation. A confidence level may also be calculated for the measured velocity, and the measured velocity reported or used only when the calculated confidence level meets or exceeds a given value.

Abstract: Two or more spatial filters are used in determining velocity based on speckle translation. A light source may be turned on, turned off, or both for a variable amount of time during operation. The velocity may then be determined with trend identification, correlation, recursive frequency estimation, or measurement bandwidth variation. A confidence level may also be calculated for the measured velocity, and the measured velocity reported or used only when the calculated confidence level meets or exceeds a given value.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an optical encoder includes a light source, a detector array and a code member. The detector array is positioned in spaced-apart relation to the light source and includes at least one detector set. Each of the at least one detector sets includes a plurality of detector elements. The code member 1) is positioned between the light source and the detector array, 2) is moveable with respect to the detector array along a displacement direction, and 3) defines a plurality of circular or elliptical openings through which light emitted by the light source is filtered to produce light spots that travel across the detector array as the code member moves with respect to the detector array. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods are provided for a tunable laser device. The tunable laser device may include a tunable Bragg reflector that allows its wavelength to be tuned via temperature and/or pressure. This Bragg reflector may include holographic material in which a Bragg grating may be formed comprising parallel fringes of alternating index of refractions. Temperature and/or pressure changes may be effected in the Bragg reflector by, for example, a thermoelectric cooler and/or piezo transducer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an optical encoder includes a code member, a light source, and a detector array. The code member has a plurality of reflectors thereon; and the light source is positioned to illuminate an area of the code member that includes at least one of the reflectors. The detector array includes at least one detector set, each of which includes a plurality of detector elements. The code member and the detector array are moveable with respect to one another along a displacement direction, and as the code member moves with respect to the detector array, the reflectors on the code member reflect light emitted by the light source to produce circular or elliptical light spots that travel across the detector array.