Patent ID: 8536542

Claim:
An apparatus for use in analyzing a fluid with particle analytes comprising: a light source unit for providing an excitation light; an interrogation optical fiber optically connected to said light source unit for receiving said excitation light and comprising: an optical core extending along a longitudinal axis of said interrogation optical fiber for guiding said excitation light, said optical core being multimode and being adapted to shape said excitation light with a substantially uniform spatial illumination over a cross-section of said optical core; and a passageway extending throughout said interrogation optical fiber in a transverse direction relative to said longitudinal axis of said interrogation optical fiber such that said passageway intersects said optical core, said passageway for circulating said fluid across said interrogation optical fiber and being shaped such that circulating particle analytes cross said excitation light as said excitation light propagates through said passageway, an intersection of said fluid in said passageway and said excitation light defining an interaction volume wherein a result of an interaction of said excitation light and said particle analytes is representative of a parameter to be analyzed, said passageway being configured relative to said optical core such that said particle analytes are exposed to said excitation light for a generally same duration of time while circulating in said passageway; a channeling unit connected to said passageway to circulate said fluid and its particle analytes through said passageway; and a light detection unit for detecting said result of said interaction of said excitation light with said particle analytes.