Patent ID: 9212985
Filing Date: 2015-12-15
Classification: G01N,G03H

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for detecting objects in a sample, the apparatus comprising: an incoherent point light source; a detector having an active light detecting surface positioned and configured to detect diffraction or interference light patterns incident on the said surface, produced by light from the point light source which extends along a path which expands laterally outwardly from the point light source to said surface, along which path it interacts with objects in a sample; a sample holding location spaced from the said surface at which the sample is held in a sample holder or holders in the transmission path of light from the point light source to the said surface, the distance from the sample holding location to the said surface being less than the distance from the point light source to the sample holding location and allowing the light from the point light source, upon interacting with the objects in the sample to form said diffraction or interference light patterns at the said surface; and a processor configured to receive input from the detector indicative of the said diffraction or interference light patterns incident on the detector at the said surface, and processing said input to determine the presence of an object within the sample directly from the said incident diffraction or interference light patterns.