Particle analyzer

A method of analyzing particles in a sample liquid comprising the steps of:

• enclosing the sample liquid in a sheathed flow to form a flat flow having a first side and a second side orthogonal to said first side;
• irradiating particles in the first side of the flat flow with exciting light;
• irradiating particles in the flat flow with illuminating light;
• imaging the illuminating light passing through the flat flow onto a sensor;
• determining whether two or more particles are passing through the flat flow imaged onto said sensor;
• and
• capturing an image of the second side of the flat flow including a fluorescent image of a particle irradiated by the exciting light when the particle reaches a predetermined position.

A particle analyzer comprising:

• a flow cell for enclosing a sample liquid containing particles in a sheathed flow to form a flat flow of the sample liquid;
• an exciting light source for emitting light for exciting fluorescence to irradiate the particle in the flat flow;
• capturing means for capturing a fluorescent image of the particle when the particle reaches a predetermined position of the flat flow;
• a shutter which allows the capturing means to receive the fluorescence from the particle for a predetermined period of time;
• an illumination light source for emitting illumination light to irradiate the particle in the flat flow;
• a sensor receiving the illumination light passing through the particle to capture an image of the particle;
• control means for controlling an operation timing of the shutter based on an image signal from said sensor;
• and
• analyzing means for analyzing the particle based on at least one of image signals from the capturing means and said sensor, said analyzing means including means for calculating physical characteristics of the particle.

A method of analyzing particles in a sample liquid comprising the steps of:

• enclosing the sample liquid in a sheathed flow to form a flat flow;
• irradiating particles in the flat flow with exciting light;
• capturing a fluorescent image of a particle irradiated by the exciting light;
• irradiating particles in the flat flow with illuminating light;
• imaging the illuminating light passing through the flat flow onto a sensor;
• and
• analyzing the particles based on at least one of image signals from the capturing step and the imaging step, said analyzing step including, said analyzing step including calculating physical characteristics of a particle in the flat flow imaged onto said sensor.