System and method for detecting multiple-excitation-induced light in a flow channel

摘要

A system for detecting signal components of light induced by multiple excitation sources including: a flow channel including at least two spatially separated optical interrogation zones; a non-modulating excitation source that directs a light beam of a first wavelength at a near constant intensity onto a first of the optical interrogation zones; a modulating excitation source that directs a light beam of a second wavelength with an intensity modulated over time at a modulating frequency onto a second of the optical interrogation zones; a detector subsystem comprising a set of detectors configured to detect light emitted from particles flowing through the at least two optical interrogation zones and to convert the detected light into a total electrical signal; and a processor that determines signal components from the light detected from each of the optical interrogation zones.

主权项

1. A system for detecting signal components of light induced by multiple excitation sources, comprising:
a flow channel configured for the flow of particles, the flow channel comprising three spatially separated optical interrogation zones; a first excitation source configured to direct a light beam of a first wavelength at a near constant intensity onto a first of the optical interrogation zones, wherein the light beam of the first wavelength is not intensity modulated; second and third excitation sources, wherein the second excitation source is configured to direct a light beam of a second wavelength onto a second of the optical interrogation zones, and the third excitation source is configured to direct a light beam of a third wavelength onto a third of the optical interrogation zones, wherein the second wavelength is different from the first wavelength and the light beams of the second and third wavelength are intensity modulated at a same frequency; a detector subsystem comprising a set of detectors configured to detect light emitted from particles flowing through the optical interrogation zones and to convert the detected light into a total electrical signal comprising modulated and unmodulated electrical signals; and a processor configured to receive the total electrical signal from the detector subsystem, to de-modulate the modulated electrical signal, and to determine signal components from the light detected from each of the optical interrogation zones.