An apparatus for processing a biological sample for optical analysis having a cartridge with a sample supply container and a couvette, a cartridge/magazine holding the cartridge, and a cassette fan positioned over the cartridge. A filter cassette is mounted within the cassette fan, wherein the filter cassette has an inlet for receiving a sample from the sample supply container, an outlet for discharging the filter sample into the couvette, and valves therein to manipulate the sample for filtering. A cassette clamp is positioned over the filter cassette to secure the cassette and operate the filter cassette. A method for implementing this apparatus is also described herein. Additionally an apparatus is used for and a method measures waste fluid that passes over a filter element to control the amount of rinse fluid passing over the filter element.

Reusable network of spatially-multiplexed microfliuidic channels each including an inlet, an outlet, and a cuvette in-between. Individual channels may operationally share a main or common output channel defining the network output and optionally leading to a disposable storage volume. Alternatively, multiple channels are structured to individually lead to the storage volume. An individual cuvette is dimensioned to substantially prevent the formation of air-bubbles during the fluid sample flow through the cuvette and, therefore, to be fully filled and fully emptied. The overall channel network is configured to spatially lock the fluidic sample by pressing such sample with a second fluid against a closed to substantially immobilize it to prevent drifting due to the change in ambient conditions during the measurement. Thereafter, the fluidic sample is flushed through the now-opened valve with continually-applied pressure of the second fluid. System and method for photometric measurements of multiple fluid samples employing such network of channels.

The flow cell is composed of a cell block and a cell holder. The cell block is light transmittable and is provided with a plurality of cells communicated with each other and mutually different in optical path length and an inlet and an outlet communicated with the cell. The plurality of cells include a short optical path length cell having an optical path length of 100 m or less. The short optical path length cell is constituted by a groove formed on an inner joining surface of a plurality of laminated light transmitting substrates. The optical path length of the short optical path length cell is defined by a depth of the groove. The cell holder is configured to accommodate the cell block therein, and is provided with an incident window for allowing light to enter the cell block and an emission window for emitting the light transmitted through the cell block.

A porous mirror (1) for detection of an analyte (96) in a fluid (99) by optical probing, comprising a translucent slab (2) with a front side (3), and a backside (4) facing away from the front side (3), wherein the front side (3) is adapted for being contacted with a fluid (99), and a reflective layer (5) at the front side (3) of the translucent slab (2), the reflective layer (5) being adapted to reflect light reaching the reflective layer from the backside (4) of the translucent slab (2), wherein the translucent slab (2) comprises pores (6), wherein the pores (6) are dead end pores (6) extending from respective openings (7) at the front side (3) into the translucent slab (2), through the reflective layer (5), wherein a cross-sectional dimension of the openings (7) of the pores (6) is dimensioned so as to prevent larger particles or debris, if any included the fluid, from entering the pores (6), while allowing the analyte (96) in the fluid (99) to enter the pores (6) via diffusion.

The flow cell is composed of a cell block and a cell holder. The cell block is light transmittable and is provided with a plurality of cells communicated with each other and mutually different in optical path length and an inlet and an outlet communicated with the cell. The plurality of cells include a short optical path length cell having an optical path length of 100 m or less. The short optical path length cell is constituted by a groove formed on an inner joining surface of a plurality of laminated light transmitting substrates. The optical path length of the short optical path length cell is defined by a depth of the groove. The cell holder is configured to accommodate the cell block therein, and is provided with an incident window for allowing light to enter the cell block and an emission window for emitting the light transmitted through the cell block.

The present invention is a cuvette assembly for use in optically measuring at least one characteristic of particles within a plurality of liquid samples. The cuvette assembly includes a unitary body made of a single type of transparent material. The unitary body includes a plurality of optical chambers for receiving the liquid sample, an entry side wall for allowing transmission of an input light beam into the respective liquid sample, and an exit side wall for transmitting a forward scatter signal caused by the particles within the respective liquid sample. Each of the plurality of optical chambers is separated by internal walls of the unitary body.

A particle counter includes: a multi-flow cell with flow passages arrayed in a first direction and having a section including a detection region, for detecting a particle, formed when the flow passage is irradiated with irradiation light; a light receiving optical system configured to receive emitted light generated from a particle contained in sample fluid flowing in the at least one flow passage and passing through the detection region; an optical axis moving unit configured to move an optical axis of the irradiation light and an optical axis of the emitted light in the first direction; and a counter configured to count the particle for each particle size based on an intensity of the emitted light.

[Problems] Objects include providing a cover film for testing which can be well fixed to a substrate having a groove and in which a pressure sensitive adhesive does not invade into the groove, providing a testing member comprising the cover film for testing, and providing a method of manufacturing the cover film for testing. [Solution] The cover film for testing (1, 2) comprises a base material (10) and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer (20) laminated on one surface side of the base material (10). The cover film for testing (1, 2) has a region in which the pressure sensitive adhesive layer (20) does not exist in the plan view.

A sensor element has a channel into which a sensor substance can be fed from a reservoir of the sensor element. The sensor substance has an optical behaviour which depends on an analyte. The analyte passes from a sample through a membrane permeable to the analyte into the channel, which membrane forms a portion of a wall of the channel.

A porous mirror (1) for detection of an analyte (96) in a fluid (99) by optical probing, comprising a translucent slab (2) with a front side (3), and a backside (4) facing away from the front side (3), wherein the front side (3) is adapted for being contacted with a fluid (99), and a reflective layer (5) at the front side (3) of the translucent slab (2), the reflective layer (5) being adapted to reflect light reaching the reflective layer from the backside (4) of the translucent slab (2), wherein the translucent slab (2) comprises pores (6), wherein the pores (6) are dead end pores (6) extending from respective openings (7) at the front side (3) into the translucent slab (2), through the reflective layer (5), wherein a cross-sectional dimension of the openings (7) of the pores (6) is dimensioned so as to prevent larger particles or debris, if any included the fluid, from entering the pores (6), while allowing the analyte (96) in the fluid (99) to enter the pores (6) via diffusion.