The present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods for performing particle analysis through flow cytometry at comparatively high event rates and for gathering high resolution images of particles.

The present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods for performing particle analysis through flow cytometry at comparatively high event rates and for gathering high resolution images of particles.

Droplet deflectors having optimized deflection plates are provided. Droplet deflectors of interest include droplet deflectors with deflection plates configured for high-angular deflection of a droplet flow stream. Droplet deflectors of interest further include droplet deflectors with deflection plates that comprise a shape that corresponds to a path of the deflected droplet flow stream or deflection plates configured to apply a deflection force to a flow stream at a plurality of different angles. Droplet deflectors of interest still further include droplet deflectors configured to apply a constant deflection force to the deflected droplet flow stream from a plurality of different lateral positions, including, for example, where the deflector plates are segmented deflector plates. Flow cytometers having the subject droplet deflectors and methods of use and configuration or design thereof are also provided.

An electronically-controlled digital ferrofluidic device is disclosed which employs a network of individually addressable coils in conjunction with one or more movable permanent magnets, where each moveable permanent magnet delivers the designated fluid manipulation-based tasks. The underlying mechanism facilitating fluidic operations is realized by addressable electromagnetic actuation of miniaturized mobile magnets that exert localized magnetic body forces on droplets filled with magnetic nanoparticles. The reconfigurable, contactless, and non-interfering magnetic-field operation properties of the underlying actuation mechanism allow for the integration of passive and active components to implement advanced and diverse operations with high efficiency (e.g., droplet sorting, dispensing, generation, merging, mixing, filtering, and analysis).

To provide an adjusting method of a positional relationship between a flow path position and a light irradiation position. The present technology provides a position adjusting method provided with an imaging step of imaging, while moving a flow path through which a microparticle is able to flow in an optical axis direction, the flow path in a plurality of positions in the optical axis direction, a movement step of moving the flow path in the optical axis direction on the basis of a focus index for each of a plurality of images acquired at the imaging step, and an adjustment step of specifying a feature position of the flow path from an image of the flow path in a position after movement at the movement step, and adjusting a positional relationship between the feature position and a reference position in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction.

An electronically-controlled digital ferrofluidic device is disclosed which employs a network of individually addressable coils in conjunction with one or more movable permanent magnets, where each moveable permanent magnet delivers the designated fluid manipulation-based tasks. The underlying mechanism facilitating fluidic operations is realized by addressable electromagnetic actuation of miniaturized mobile magnets that exert localized magnetic body forces on droplets filled with magnetic nanoparticles. The reconfigurable, contactless, and non-interfering magnetic-field operation properties of the underlying actuation mechanism allow for the integration of passive and active components to implement advanced and diverse operations with high efficiency (e.g., droplet sorting, dispensing, generation, merging, mixing, filtering, and analysis).

Provided are a cell sorting chip, device, and method based on dielectrophoresis induced deterministic lateral displacement, the chip including a microfluidic channel (4), the microfluidic channel comprising a sample inlet (4.1), a straight channel, and two sample outlets; three groups of electrode array pairs are integrated at a bottom of the straight channel, the three electrode array pairs respectively being a focusing electrode group (1), a sorting electrode group (2), and a separating electrode group (3); the focusing electrode group is used for cell focusing and signal detection; the sorting electrode group is used for single cell sorting; and the separating electrode group is used for single cell separation. High-speed, precise, and lossless target cell sorting can thus be implemented.

A computer implemented method comprises flowing a sample through a sample cell at a flow rate; applying an electric field to the sample while the sample is flowing through the sample cell; and measuring electrophoretic mobility of particles in the sample using light scattering techniques while the sample is flowing and the electric field is applied. The flowing removes degraded sample particles from a measurement region of the sample cell during the measuring and replaces the degraded sample particles with a fresh sample. The flowing removes heat generated by Joule heating from the measurement region. The flowing enables an application of a higher electric field strength, thereby increasing a Doppler shift and reducing measurement time and measurement error.