Patent ID: 7545490
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A flow cell apparatus, comprising: a body having a first surface, an inlet port and an outlet port; a channel in said body having a first end and a second end, wherein the channel is sized so as to have a depth that allows for sufficient excitation and illumination of solutions or particles contained in a liquid to be analyzed, wherein the channel is open facing towards the first surface of the body, and the inlet port being coupled to the first end of said channel and the outlet port being coupled to the second end of said channel, the body comprising a recess in said first surface around at least a perimeter of the channel; a gasket that is sized and configured to removably fit into the recess and to overly the channel, wherein the gasket comprises an aperture that defines an optical interrogation field of view to the channel for optical energy that is directed from exterior of the body towards the first surface of the body and for optical energy emitted or scattered from the channel through the aperture and out of the body via the first surface of the body; a window of optically transparent material that is configured to removably fit into the recess overlying the gasket and configured to pass optical energy through the aperture of the gasket to and from the channel.