The present technology provides a technology for stabilizing break-off timings. Therefore, according to the present technology, there is provided a microparticle analysis device or the like including at least: a flow path in which a fluid including a sample flow containing microparticles and a sheath flow flowing to contain the sample flow; a droplet formation unit configured to form a droplet in the fluid by imparting vibration to the fluid using a vibration element; an electric charge application unit configured to apply electric charge to a droplet containing the microparticles; an imaging unit configured to obtain a photo of a phase of a certain time; and a control unit configured to control a timing at which the droplet breaks off on a basis of the photo.

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods and systems for detecting light from a sample in a flow stream by multi-photon counting. Methods according to certain embodiments include irradiating a sample in a flow stream with a light source and detecting light from the sample in the flow stream and counting photons of the detected light by integrating photo-electron charge over a time interval. Methods also include irradiating a sample in a flow stream with a light source, detecting light from the sample in the flow stream and outputting a digital output signal and an analog output signal produced by the detected light. Systems for detecting light from a sample in a flow stream with a detector and counting photons by integrating photo-electron charge over a time interval are also described. Kits having a detector, a photon counter and a flow cell configured to propagate a sample in flow stream are also provided.

An optical particle sensor comprises at least first and second light sources of different wavelength for sequential operation. An optical detector is used to detect light from the light sources emitted or scattered by particles to be sensed. A current injection compensation signal is also provided which is dependent on which light source of the optical arrangement is in use. The compensation signal means the amplifier does not need to re-settle in response to different background illumination levels associated with the different light sources. In this way, detection signals may be obtained in quick succession from different light sources.

The system includes an adjustable light source constructed to direct a beam of electromagnetic radiation at a specimen chamber that allows a portion of the beam to scatter when illuminating particles within the chamber. The scattered portion of the beam is directed to a sensor, the sensor having a frame rate and a time period between frames. The system may have a processor connected to the sensor and light source, the processor may perform the following steps: activate the light source and obtain images from sensor; if the images from the sensor show that particles are blinking then reduce the frame rate, set the exposure time to at least 60% of the time between frames and reduce the illumination. Then, the processor obtains additional images and processes those images to mitigate blurring. The processor determines the Brownian motion of the particles from the processed images and determines the sizes of the particles based on the motion.

Disclosed is an automated method and apparatus for automatically setting a drop delay period by detecting calibration particles in a waste stream. The drop delay is incremented over a series of drop delays and the number of calibration particles in the waste stream is detected for each drop delay. The drop delay is selected which has the least number of calibration particles in the waste stream.

Provided are systems and methods that allow for brightfield imaging in a flow cytometer, allowing for collection of fluorescence and high-quality image date. The disclosed technology also gives rise to an illumination pattern that allows a user to create different oblique or structured illumination profiles within a static system. With the disclosed approach, a user can illuminate a sample from a first direction (e.g., with laser illumination configured to give rise to one or more of fluorescence information and scattering information), collect scattering information from a second direction, collect fluorescence information from a third direction, and capture an image of the sample from a fourth direction. (Two or more of the foregoing can be accomplished simultaneously.) Also as described elsewhere herein, an illumination used to illuminate the sample for visual image capture can be communicated to the same through a lens that also collects fluorescence from the sample.

The present application discloses a system and a method for calculating a droplet delay time in a liquid flow of a sorting device, and a sorting device. The system includes: a first laser source configured to emit a first laser beam to a liquid flow of a sorting device, the first laser beam and the liquid flow intersecting at a first laser interrogation point located in a nozzle system of the sorting device; a second laser source configured to emit a second laser beam to the liquid flow, the second laser beam and the liquid flow intersecting at a second laser interrogation point located outside the nozzle system; a first detector and a second detector which are respectively used for detecting emission, in response to the first laser beam and the second laser beam, of a particle in the liquid flow; and a droplet delay time calculation unit configured to calculate, on the basis of the time when the particle in the liquid flow passes through the first laser interrogation point and the time when the particle passes through the second laser interrogation point, a first delay time for the liquid flow flowing from the first laser interrogation point to the second laser interrogation point, and calculate, on the basis of the first delay time, a droplet delay time.

Provided are methods for flow cytometry analysis, including the setting and use of static gating thresholds separating positive fluorescence from negative fluorescence for each fluorescence channel in the assay.

A apparatus for detecting cells or particles in a fluid container includes a dispenser configured to dispense at least one cell or at least one particle into a defined sub-volume of a fluid with which the fluid container is at least partially filled, and a detection apparatus configured to, in a time-coordinated manner with dispensing the at least one cell or the at least one particle by the dispenser, perform a detection in the defined sub-volume and/or in one or several sub-volumes underneath the defined sub-volume in order to sense the at least one cell or the at least one particle when entering the fluid or immediately after entering the fluid.

A sensor network, which includes a sensor controller serially coupled to a plurality of sensor modules, is configured to program the sensor modules so as to transfer measurement data to the sensor controller and to synchronize the sensor modules to picosecond accuracy via on-chip or on-module custom circuits and a physical layer protocol. The sensor network has applications for use in PET, LiDAR, FLIM and flow cytometry applications. Synchronization, within picosecond accuracy, is achieved through use of a picosecond time digitization circuit. The picosecond time digitization circuit is used to measure on-chip delays with high accuracy and precision. The delay measurements are directly comparable between separate chips even with voltage and temperature variations between chips.