An apparatus for measuring liquid sample transmittance

An apparatus for the measurement of one or more liquid samples' optical transmittance, comprising:

• a) an emission apparatus, comprising:
• i) an optically transparent or translucent substrate defined by boundary surfaces that are at least partially reflective, the substrate, comprising:
• 1) an interior;
• and,
• 2) an exterior, comprising:
• A) one or more top surfaces;
• B) one or more bottom surfaces;
• and,
• C) one or more edge surfaces;
• 3) a plurality of exit points located on the one or more top faces of the exterior, each exit point:
• comprising:
• an area of increased transmissibility and decreased reflectivity;
• and,
• ii) one or more light emitters aligned to project light into the substrate, wherein the projected light exits the substrate:
• 1) through the plurality of exit points;
• and,
• 2) at an angle different from which it entered the substrate;
• b) a sample chamber configured to hold one or more liquid samples wherein each liquid sample, when present, is held in optical alignment with at least one of the exit points in the emission apparatus;
• c) a detection apparatus, comprising:
• one or more light detectors, wherein at least one light detector is in optical alignment with light emitted from each exit point in the emission apparatus;
• wherein the apparatus is configured such that, upon activation:
• (A) the light emitters cause light to traverse the interior of the substrate;
• (B) the traversing light is at least partially confined via internal reflection from the substrate's boundary surfaces
• (C) at least a portion of the traversing light escapes at the exit points;
• (D) the escaped light further traverses the sample chamber, including, if present, the one or more liquid samples;
• and,
• (E) the light then reaches the detection apparatus.