Systems and methods are described for determining whether liquid remains on a wafer surface following a scanning operation. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a first system configured for positioning adjacent a transfer line coupled with a scanning nozzle to dispense fluid onto a wafer surface and to recover the fluid from the wafer surface, the first system configured to detect a gas/liquid transition of the fluid and determine a volume of liquid sample dispensed; a second system configured for positioning adjacent a second line downstream from the scanning nozzle, the second system configured to detect a gas/liquid transition of fluid flowing through the second line and determine a volume of liquid sample recovered from the wafer surface; and a controller configured to generate an alert if the volume of liquid sample recovered is not within a threshold amount compared to the volume of liquid sample dispensed.

A filling level measuring device, a method for capacitive filling level measurement of filling material in a container that includes a counter electrode integrated therein using a filling level probe, and a method for calibrating a filling level probe, include introducing the filling level probe into the container, the filling level probe having a first and a second electrode provided thereon and spaced apart from one another and extending one after the other and substantially parallel to the counter electrode such that a measurement section is defined along the first and second electrodes and the spacing therebetween. The filling level probe can be operated in a first, second, or third measurement mode, by being able to switch over between a measurement potential or a shielding potential that can each be applied to the first and second electrodes, respectively, while a counter electrode potential is always applied to the counter electrode. For calibrating the filling level probe, relative changes in capacitance are determined between an empty container and a maximum filling level. For capacitive filling level measurement, relative changes in capacitance as measured using a calibrated filling level probe in each of the three measurement modes compared to an empty container are used to calculate the filling level.

A system for applying a fluid to a substrate bearing a sample for analysis has an array of sensor plates positioned to sense the presence of fluid in contact with respective areas of the substrate. In a particular embodiment, fluid presence in different areas of the substrate is sensed by the effect of the fluid and its identity on the impedances of capacitors formed between sensor plates within the array. In a more particular embodiment, by polling the sensor array continually while fluid is applied to the substrate determine a coverage map, a fluid dispensing mechanism can be controlled to efficiently cover the entire substrate with fluid a minimal amount of fluid, thereby reducing waste.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device capable of preventing bubbles from jumping out of a nozzle and realizing highly accurate dispensing even though the nozzle is moved at a high speed toward a liquid level and is decelerated and stopped at a high acceleration. The dispensing device according to the present invention starts suction of a liquid in a period from when a nozzle starts to be lowered toward a liquid level of the liquid to when an end portion of the nozzle comes into contact with the liquid level of the liquid and the lowering of the nozzle is stopped (see FIG. 6).

A pipetting apparatus having a pipette tube with a first end provided with an opening for aspirating and/or dispensing of a sample fluid and a second end operationally connected to a pressure generating means. The pipetting apparatus has at least one measuring unit adapted to determine at least one measurement value of the sample fluid based on the aspirating and/or dispensing of the sample fluid and to provide a sample fluid measurement signal representative thereof to an output of the measuring unit. The pipetting apparatus also has a control circuit operationally coupled to the output of the measuring unit and the input of the pressure generating means, the control circuit is configured to control said pressure generating device based on the sample fluid measurement signal.

The invention relates to an apparatus for optically monitoring the dosing of a liquid to be pipetted for an automatic analysis unit. The apparatus comprises a dosing device, comprising a pipetting needle for pipetting the liquid, a lighting device for illuminating a drop of the liquid adhering to the pipetting needle, a camera with a set of optics to capture an image of the drop of the liquid, and an evaluation device for characterizing the drop of liquid by means of an automatic analysis of the image of the drop of liquid.

The invention relates to a method for detecting a particle in a container filled with liquid, the method having the following steps: dispensing a liquid sample into the container, scanning a partial volume area of the container in order to detect a particle located in the liquid sample, characterized in that an upper limit and a lower limit of the partial volume area is determined in a calibration operation upstream of the dispensing process.

A fluid aspiration probe apparatus for automatic fluid testing equipment includes a pair of electrodes mounted on a distal probe tip. The electrodes are coupled to an impedance measurement apparatus via conductive pathways along the probe. The impedance measurements and probe tip height are monitored as the probe tip is lowered into a fluid sample. Boundaries between layers of fluid in the container are detected by recognizing sudden changes in the impedance measurements and heights of the boundaries are determined by tracking the position of probe tip when the sudden changes of impedance occur.

A method for detecting a liquid surface of a liquid sample with a pipetting tip, the method includes receiving an indication of a capacitance of the pipetting tip, and determining, based on a rate of change of the indication of the capacitance rising above a first preselected threshold, that the pipetting tip has come into contact with the liquid surface. The method also includes determining, based on the rate of change of the indication of the capacitance falling below a second preselected threshold, that the pipetting tip has lost contact with the liquid surface.

A liquid amount control device includes a position detector, a pump, a driver and a controller. The pump is connected with a first tip and configured to suck up the liquid out of the test tube. The driver is connected with the pump and configured to drive the pump to move. The controller is configured to: (1) control the driver to drive a first suction end of the first tip to enter a detection region of the position detector to obtain an end height position of the first suction end; (2) control the driver to drive the first suction end of the first tip to enter the liquid by a first entering depth according to the end height position; and (3) control the pump to suck up the liquid in the test tube through the first tip.