Microparticle sorting apparatus and delay time determination method

摘要

A microparticle sorting apparatus includes a detection unit which detects microparticles flowing through a flow path; an imaging device which images a droplet containing the microparticles which is discharged from an orifice provided on an edge portion of the flow path; a charge unit which applies a charge to the droplets; and a control unit which determines a delay time as from a time that the microparticles are detected by the detection unit to the time at which a number of bright spots in a standard region, which is set beforehand, of image information imaged by the imaging device reaches the maximum, making it possible for the charge unit to apply a charge to the microparticles once the delay time has lapsed after the microparticles are detected by the detection unit.

主权项

1. A microparticle sorting apparatus comprising:
a detector configured to detect microparticles flowing through a flow path; an imaging device configured to obtain a plurality of images of a droplet containing at least one of the microparticles, wherein the droplet is discharged from an orifice provided on an edge portion of the flow path; and a controller configured to:
control the imaging device to obtain the plurality of images, the plurality of images having a standard region in respective images of the plurality of images;determine a delay time by examining the standard region in respective images of the plurality of images and identifying an image of the plurality of images that has a maximum brightness characteristic within the standard region; andset a timing for applying charge to droplets based on the delay time.