# US 2022/0034855 A1 · Integrated illumination-detection flow cell for liquid chromatography

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- Number: US 2022/0034855 A1
- Document ID: US20220034855A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/451,092
- Filed: 2021-10-15
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-02-23
- Assignees: Phoseon Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Phoseon Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Garth Eliason; Patrick Kain; John Christopher Freitag; Doug Childers; Jay Pasquantonio
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220034855A1

## CPC

- G01N 30/74: Optical detectors {(measurement of intensity, velocity, spectral content, polarisation, or phase of infrared, visible or ultraviolet light G01J)}
- G01N 21/05: Flow-through cuvettes (G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10)
- G01N 21/255: {Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems}
- G01N 21/31: Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry {(G01N21/72 takes precedence)}
- G01N 21/59: Transmissivity (G01N21/25 takes precedence)
- G01N 2030/027: {Liquid chromatography}
- G01N 2201/0627: Use of several LED's for spectral resolution
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A liquid chromatography flow cell including an integrated light source and an integrated detection chamber. The integrated light source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein each LED emits light of a specific wavelength. The light emitted from the integrated light source is directed to pass through a sample in a flow chamber of the flow cell without any optical conditioning, and the light not absorbed by the sample flows out of the flow chamber directly into the integrated detection chamber, where an intensity of the unabsorbed light is measured by detectors coupled to the integrated chamber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A detector system, comprising:
a flow cell including an optically transparent first wall and an optically transparent second wall, the optically transparent second wall positioned opposite the optically transparent first wall;
a plurality of light sources integrated within the flow cell, the plurality of light sources configured to emit light to travel through the optically transparent first wall into the flow cell;
a plurality of coupling optics between the plurality of light sources and the optically transparent first wall; and
a detection chamber integrated with the flow cell and configured to capture light passing out from the flow cell through the optically transparent second wall into the detection chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein an interior of the detection chamber includes a diffuse, reflective coating that uniformly scatters the captured light.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light sources is adjacent to a reference photodiode integrated within the flow cell, the reference photodiode configured to detect light emitted by the adjacent light source, and wherein the reference photodiode and the adjacent light source are positioned on a bottom surface within the flow cell.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, further comprising a photodetector coupled to the detection chamber, wherein the photodetector is configured to detect ultraviolet and/or visible light.

### Claim 5

(canceled)

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, further comprising a coupling optic between each of the plurality of light sources and the first transparent wall of the flow cell.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein no coupling optics are included in the detector system.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein the detector system is included in a high-performance liquid chromatography system, and wherein light from each of plurality of light sources travel directly to the first transparent wall of the flow cell.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The detector system of claim 3, further comprising a controller storing executable instructions in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to:
activate a light source of the plurality of light sources to emit light of a desired wavelength; and
control an output level of the activated light source based on input received from the reference photodiode adjacent to the light source.

### Claim at position 10

10-15. (canceled)

### Claim 16

A multiple wavelength illumination system, comprising:
a flow cell configured to receive light emitted from a plurality of light sources;
at least one light combining device to mix the light emitted by the plurality of light sources before the light is received by the flow cell;
at least one collimating optic to direct light from the at least one light combining device to the flow cell; and
a detector to detect light exiting the flow cell.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The multiple wavelength illumination system of claim 16, wherein the at least one light combining device includes a fiber optic cable.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The multiple wavelength illumination system of claim 16, wherein the at least one light combining device includes a waveguide.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The multiple wavelength illumination system of claim 16, wherein the at least one light combining device has a dichroic coating.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The multiple wavelength illumination system of claim 16, wherein the at least one light combining device includes a polygonal prism.