Patent ID: 8830451
Filing Date: 2014-09-09
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An analytical device comprising: a conduit configured to allow a fluid sample to flow through the device in a first direction; an acoustic wave generator configured to deliver an acoustic wave across the conduit, such that particles within the conduit are allowed to continue to flow through the conduit in the first direction but are focused by the acoustic wave into at least two distinct particle streams wherein the position of the particles in the particle streams is constrained by the acoustic wave in a second direction and not in the first direction; and an analysis region in fluid communication with the conduit, wherein, in the analysis region, the conduit has dimensions that physically constrain the position of the particles in the particle streams in a third direction, but not in the first or second direction, so as to force the particles to be coplanar; such that the combination of the acoustic wave and the conduit dimensions produces multiple co-planar, parallel, single-file, particle streams; and a light beam directed at the analysis region; wherein a single particle stream passes through the light beam.