Flow cytometry apparatus and methods

1. A method, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a particle analyzer comprising:

a source of a non-Gaussian, substantially nondiffracting light beam;

a flow path configured to produce a ribbon-like core stream in a flowcell, the core stream having a cross-sectional aspect ratio of at least 4 and a largest cross-sectional dimension of at least 50 micrometers;

the flowcell being configured to expose a segment of the core stream to the light beam; and

a detector configured to detect a signal from the core stream, the signal resulting from an interaction of a particle in the core stream with the light beam;

the method further comprising the steps of:

creating the ribbon-like core stream;

exposing the ribbon-like core stream to the non-Gaussian, substantially nondiffracting light beam in the flowcell;

introducing at least one particle in the ribbon-like core stream;

creating a signal resulting from the interaction of the non-Gaussian, substantially nondiffracting light beam with the at least one particle in the ribbon-like core stream; and

detecting the signal resulting from the interaction of the non-Gaussian, substantially nondiffracting light beam with the at least one particle with the detector.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

the particle analyzer further comprising:

a first sorting actuator connected with the flowcell and downstream of the segment of the core stream exposed to the light beam;

a plurality of sorting channels in fluid connection with the flow path and downstream of the first sorting actuator, the first sorting actuator having multiple actuation states, each actuation state configured to direct at least one part of the core stream to a corresponding sorting channel of the plurality of sorting channels;

a sorting actuator driver, connected with the sorting actuator; and

a processing unit, connected with the sorting actuator driver;

the method further comprising the steps of:

transferring the signal resulting from the interaction of the non-Gaussian, substantially nondiffracting light beam with the at least one particle to the first sorting actuator driver through the processing unit;

bringing the first sorting actuator into a desired actuation state with the sorting actuator driver in response to the signal; and

using the desired actuation state of the first sorting actuator to direct a part of the core stream with the particle to a desired sorting channel.

3. The method of claim 2 ,

the particle analyzer further comprising:

a second sorting actuator, the second sorting actuator being connected with the flowcell and opposite the first sorting actuator, the second sorting actuator being operable in coordination with the first sorting actuator;

the method further comprising the step of:

bringing the second sorting actuator into a desired actuation state with said sorting actuator driver in response to said signal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light beam is aligned with the largest cross-sectional dimension of the core stream under an angle of no more than 45 degrees.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light beam is aligned substantially along the largest cross-sectional dimension of the core stream.

6. A method, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a particle analyzer comprising:

a source of a non-Gaussian, substantially nondiffracting light beam;

a flow path configured to produce a ribbon-like core stream in a flowcell, the core stream having a cross-sectional aspect ratio of at least 4 and a largest cross-sectional dimension of at least 50 micrometers;

the flowcell being configured to expose a segment of the core stream to the light beam; and

a plurality of detectors, wherein individual detectors in the plurality of detectors are configured to detect a signal from a corresponding portion of the core stream, the signal resulting from an interaction of a particle in the corresponding portion of the core stream with the light beam;

the method further comprising the steps of:

creating the ribbon-like core stream;

exposing the ribbon-like core stream to the non-Gaussian, substantially nondiffracting light beam in the flowcell;

introducing at least one particle in the ribbon like core stream;

creating a signal resulting from the interaction of the non-Gaussian, substantially nondiffracting light beam with the at least one particle in the ribbon-like core stream; and

detecting the signal from the interaction of the non-Gaussian, substantially nondiffracting light beam with the at least one particle with a detector, wherein the detector is one of the plurality of detectors.

7. The method of claim 6 ,

the particle analyzer further comprising:

a first plurality of sorting actuators connected with the flowcell, the first plurality of sorting actuators being positioned downstream of the segment of the core stream exposed to the light beam;

the first plurality of sorting actuators being in substantial alignment with the largest cross-sectional dimension of the core stream;

a plurality of sorting channels in fluid connection with the flow path and downstream of the first plurality of sorting actuators, the sorting actuators of the first plurality of sorting actuators having multiple actuation states, each actuation state configured to direct at least one part of the core stream to a corresponding sorting channel of the plurality of sorting channels;

a sorting actuator driver, connected with the plurality of sorting actuators; and

a processing unit, connected with the sorting actuator driver;

the method further comprising the steps of:

transferring the signal to the sorting actuator driver through the processing unit;

bringing a first sorting actuator into a desired actuation state with the sorting actuator driver in response to the signal, wherein the first sorting actuator is one of the first plurality of sorting actuators; and

using the desired actuation state of the first sorting actuator to direct a part of the core stream with the particle to a desired sorting channel.

8. The method of claim 7 ,

the particle analyzer further comprising:

a second plurality of sorting actuators, the second plurality of sorting actuators being connected with the flowcell and opposite the first plurality of sorting actuators, actuators in the second plurality of sorting actuators being operable in coordination with actuators in the first plurality of sorting actuators;

the method further comprising the step of:

bringing a second sorting actuator into a desired actuation state with the sorting actuator driver in response to the signal, wherein the second sorting actuator is one of the second plurality of sorting actuators.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the light beam is aligned with the largest cross-sectional dimension of the core stream under an angle of no more than 45 degrees.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the light beam is aligned substantially along the largest cross-sectional dimension of the core stream.

11. A method, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a particle analyzer comprising:

a source of a light beam;

a flow path configured to produce a ribbon-like core stream in a flowcell, the core stream having a cross-sectional aspect ratio of at least 4 and a largest cross-sectional dimension of at least 50 micrometers;

the flowcell being configured to expose a segment of the core stream to the light beam; and

a plurality of detectors, wherein individual detectors in the plurality of detectors are configured to detect a signal from a corresponding portion of the core stream, the signal resulting from an interaction of a particle in the corresponding portion of the core stream with the light beam;

the method further comprising the step of:

creating the ribbon-like core stream;

exposing the ribbon-like core stream to the light beam in the flowcell;

introducing at least one particle in the ribbon like core stream;

creating a signal resulting from the interaction of the light beam with the at least one particle in the ribbon-like core stream; and

detecting the signal from the interaction of the light beam with the at least one particle with a detector, wherein the detector is one of the plurality of detectors.

12. The method of claim 11 ,

the particle analyzer further comprising:

a first plurality of sorting actuators connected with the flowcell, the first plurality of sorting actuators being positioned downstream of the segment of the core stream exposed to the light beam;

the first plurality of sorting actuators being in substantial alignment with the largest cross-sectional dimension of the core stream;

a plurality of sorting channels in fluid connection with the flow path and downstream of the first plurality of sorting actuators, the sorting actuators of the first plurality of sorting actuators having multiple actuation states, each actuation state configured to direct at least one part of the core stream to a corresponding sorting channel of the plurality of sorting channels;

a sorting actuator driver, connected with the plurality of sorting actuators; and

a processing unit, connected with the sorting actuator driver;

the method further comprising the steps of

transferring the signal to the sorting actuator driver through the processing unit;

bringing a first sorting actuator into a desired actuation state with the sorting actuator driver in response to the signal, wherein the first sorting actuator is one of the first plurality of sorting actuators; and

using the desired actuation state of the first sorting actuator to direct a part of the core stream with the particle to a desired sorting channel.

13. The method of claim 12 ,

the particle analyzer further comprising:

a second plurality of sorting actuators, the second plurality of sorting actuators being connected with the flowcell and opposite the first plurality of sorting actuators, actuators in the second plurality of sorting actuators being operable in coordination with actuators in the first plurality of sorting actuators;

the method further comprising the step of:

bringing a second sorting actuator into a desired actuation state with the sorting actuator driver in response to the signal, wherein the second sorting actuator is one of the second plurality of sorting actuators.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light beam is aligned with the largest cross-sectional dimension of the core stream under an angle of no more than 45 degrees.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light beam is aligned substantially along the largest cross-sectional dimension of the core stream.