US 2026/0194447 A1 · FLOW CELL IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS, AND FLOW CELLS AND OTHER SUBSTRATES FOR USE IN THE SAME

Abstract

Double sided flow cell and other substrate imaging systems, such as imaging systems used in nucleic acid sequencing and similar processes. In one example, the imaging system includes a flipper to facilitate imaging different surfaces of the flow cell or other substrate. In another example, the imaging system includes two optical systems for imaging different surfaces of the flow cell or other substrate. In another example, the imaging system is an immersion system. In these and other examples, the system may include an auto-focus sub-system configured to accurately focus the optics on one surface of the double sided flow cell without interference from the other surface of the flow cell.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An imaging system comprising:

a stage configured to hold a carrier configured to receive an analyte;
a light source configured to illuminate the analyte with an optical beam, wherein the optical beam is characterized by an optical path;
a detector configured to detect light;
and
a lens system configured to focus light from the analyte on the detector after the optical beam illuminates the analyte, wherein:
the lens system is characterized by an optical axis;
the optical beam is configured to propagate through the lens system to illuminate the analyte;
and
the optical path of the optical beam incident on the carrier is not parallel with the optical axis of the lens system.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

19/557,506Filed 5 Mar 2026

Priority

10 Aug 2021

Published

9 Jul 2026

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G01N 21/0303
Cuvette constructions: optical path conditioning in cuvettes, e.g. windows; adapted optical elements or systems; path modifying or adjustment
G01N 21/05
Cuvette constructions: flow-through cuvettes
G01N 21/6452
Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters: individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
G02B 21/16
Microscopes: adapted for ultraviolet illumination ; Fluorescence microscopes

Flow cell imaging systems and methods, and flow cells and other substrates for use in the same

Life of this patent

Flow cell imaging systems and methods, and flow cells and other substrates for use in the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25