Abstract: The invention relates to a cuvette assembly for a sample processor, a flow cell for a sample processor comprising the cuvette assembly, and a sample processor comprising the cuvette assembly or the flow cell. The cuvette assembly comprises a cuvette body and a reflector. The cuvette body is in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped and comprises a sample detection channel vertically penetrating the cuvette body. The cuvette body has long sides and short sides in a horizontal section. The reflector has a flat surface attached to a first side surface extending along one of the long sides of the cuvette body and a spherical surface that is opposite to the flat surface and has a truncated lower half. The reflector is positioned so that it is flush with a lower surface of the cuvette body and a center of sphere of the spherical surface falls into the sample detection channel, and the reflector extends along the long side and exceeds the short side.

Abstract: An optical isolator includes a birefringent material and a Faraday rotator. The birefringent material receives a forward light propagating in a forward direction and a backward light propagating opposite to the forward direction. The birefringent material has an optical axis, wherein the forward light has a first polarization aligned perpendicular to the optical axis and is configured to pass the first birefringent material substantially along the forward direction. At least a portion of the backward light has a second polarization not perpendicular to the optical axis. The first birefringent material can displace the backward light to form a first displaced backward light. A Faraday rotator can rotate the forward light, and the backward light or the first displaced backward light by a same predetermined angle along the rotation direction.

Abstract: An optical isolator includes a birefringent material and a Faraday rotator. The birefringent material receives a forward light propagating in a forward direction and a backward light propagating opposite to the forward direction. The birefringent material has an optical axis, wherein the forward light has a first polarization aligned perpendicular to the optical axis and is configured to pass the first birefringent material substantially along the forward direction. At least a portion of the backward light has a second polarization not perpendicular to the optical axis. The first birefringent material can displace the backward light to form a first displaced backward light. A Faraday rotator can rotate the forward light, and the backward light or the first displaced backward light by a same predetermined angle along the rotation direction.