Analytic device with photovoltaic power source

1. An analytical device comprising:

a sensor having at least one electrode;

an analytical circuit comprising a regulator; and

a power source including:

an optical coupler having:

a light source activated by electrical power; and

a photovoltaic cell for producing an electromotive force in response to light from the light source;

wherein the regulator of the analytical circuit receives the electromotive force from the optical coupler, conditions the electromotive force and provides a conditioned electromotive force to the sensor and powers the at least one electrode of the sensor of the analytical device, for analytical detection of a sample within the device, or measuring an electrochemical response from a sample in contact with the electrode, and

wherein the regulator is electrically insulated from both the light source and the power source.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the electromotive force is a voltage.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the voltage is an insulated voltage.

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the voltage is less than 3 V.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the voltage is substantially consistent and fluctuates within a range of about +/−3 mV.

6. The device according to claim 4 , wherein a noise level of the voltage is more than 50 dB below the voltage.

7. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the voltage is substantially consistent and yields a current representing charge rate variation of approximately +/−0.5 micro coulombs/s.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the electromotive force is current.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical coupler further includes an insulation boundary between the light source and the photovoltaic cell.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the insulation boundary is a separation distance sufficient to electrically decouple the light source and the photovoltaic cell.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the power source further includes:

a power supply for providing the electrical power; and

a controller for controlling the power supply.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source and photovoltaic cell are optically coupled by one of a gap, a lens, a mirror, a fiber optic member, and a combination of the same.

13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor provides signals for performing electrochemical analysis of a sample.

14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a reference electrode.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the sensor is an electrochemical detector.

16. An analytical instrument comprising the analytical device of claim 1 .

17. A chromatography system comprising the analytical device of claim 1 .

18. A method of analyzing a sample with an analytical device, comprising:

providing electrical power from a power source;

converting the electrical power into a light signal with a light source;

converting the light signal into an electromotive force;

conditioning the electromotive force with a regulator, thereby producing a conditioned electromotive force, wherein the regulator is electrically insulated from both the power source and the light source; and

powering an electrode of an analytical device with the conditioned electromotive force for analytical detection of a sample within the analytical device.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

measuring an electrochemical response from a sample in contact with the electrode.

20. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the regulator includes a first stage and a second stage.

21. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the regulator includes a three-point pre-regulator.