System and method for detecting multiple-excitation-induced light in a flow channel

1. A system for detecting signal components of light induced by multiple excitation sources, the system comprising:

a flow channel configured for the flow of particles, the flow channel comprising a first optical interrogation zone and a second optical interrogation zone, wherein the first optical interrogation zone and the second optical interrogation zone are spatially separated;

a light illumination subsystem configured to direct a first light beam to the first optical interrogation zone and to direct a second beam to the second optical interrogation zone, wherein the wavelengths of the first light beam are different from the wavelengths of the second light beam, wherein the first light beam is intensity modulated at a modulating frequency that is a constant pattern repeating over time and the second light beam is not intensity modulated to provide a constant intensity;

shared light collection optics configured to collect light from both of the optical interrogation zones, wherein the light comprises a first portion of light from the first interrogation zone and a second portion of light from the second interrogation zone, the first portion of light being intensity modulated at the modulating frequency and resulting from the first beam being directed to the first optical interrogation zone;

shared light splitting optics configured to split the collected light into different channels, wherein the shared light splitting optics comprise a filter shared by each of the optical interrogation zones;

a detector subsystem comprising a set of at least two light detectors and configured to receive the channeled light, detect changes in the channeled light in response to particles flowing through the optical interrogation zones, and to convert the detected light into a total electrical signal proportional to detected modulated and unmodulated light; and

a processor configured to receive the total electrical signal from the detector subsystem, to de-modulate the portion of the total electrical signal proportional to the modulated light, and to determine signal components from the light detected from each of the optical interrogation zones.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical interrogation zones are spaced from about 30 to about 80 microns apart.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the light illumination subsystem comprises a laser or a light emitting diode (LED).

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wavelengths are selected from the group consisting of about 325 nm, 355 nm, 365 nm, 375 nm, 405 nm, 407 nm, 488 nm, 532 nm, 561 nm, 595 nm, 633 nm, 635 nm, 640 nm, and 647 nm.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the intensity modulation is at a frequency between 1 MHz and 100 MHz.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the pattern is selected from the group consisting of a sine waveform, a square waveform, a triangular waveform and a seesaw waveform.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the set of detectors selectively detect wavelengths of about 421±30 nm, 450±30 nm, 455±40 nm, 519±30 nm, 530±15 nm, 578±15 nm, 585±40 nm, 603±30 nm, 615±30 nm, 620±30 nm, >650 nm, 660±10 nm, 667±30 nm, 668±30 nm, 678±30 nm, 695±25 nm, >750 nm, 780±30 nm and >785 nm.

8. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a third spatially separated optical interrogation zone and a third light beam directed to the third optical interrogation zone.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the third light beam is intensity modulated over time at said modulation frequency.

10. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sorting mechanism configured to sort a flowing particle population into one or more chambers in response to commands from the processor.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the modulated intensity is modulated according to a waveform selected from the group consisting of a sine waveform, a square waveform, a triangular waveform and a seesaw waveform.

12. A method of detecting signal components from light induced by multiple excitation sources, the method comprising:

providing a flow channel comprising a first optical interrogation zone and a second optical interrogation zone, wherein the first and second optical interrogation zones are spatially separated;

flowing a population of particles labeled with at least two different fluorescent molecules through each of the first and second optical interrogation zones, wherein the at least two different fluorescent molecules comprise a first fluorescent molecule and a second fluorescent molecule;

directing at a constant intensity and to the first optical interrogation zones, a first light beam comprising a wavelength that induces fluorescence of the first fluorescent molecules;

directing at a modulated intensity and to the second optical interrogation zones, a second light beam comprising a wavelength that induces fluorescence of the first or second fluorescent molecule, wherein the modulated intensity is a constant pattern repeating over time;

collecting light from both of the optical interrogation zones with shared collection optics, wherein the light comprises a first portion of light from the first interrogation zone and a second portion of light from the second interrogation zone, the intensity of the second portion of light being modulated at the constant pattern and resulting from the second beam being directed to the second optical interrogation zone;

splitting the collected light into different channels using a filter shared by the light collected from each of the optical interrogation zones;

detecting the split light;

converting the detected light into a total electrical signal proportional to detected modulated and unmodulated light;

de-modulating the portion of the total electrical signal proportional to the modulated light; and

determining signal components of the light detected from each of the optical interrogation zones.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the modulated intensity is at a frequency between 1 MHz and 100 MHz.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the fluorescent molecules emit a wavelength selected from one or more of the group consisting of 519 nm, 578 nm, 640 nm, 660 nm, and 785 nm.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the flow channel further comprises a third optical interrogation zone, and the method further comprises directing a third light beam to the third optical interrogation zone, wherein the third light beam is intensity modulated and comprises a wavelength that induces fluorescence of a third fluorescent molecule.

16. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising sorting the cell population into one or more chambers according to the presence or absence of one or more detected components.