Event-driven coulter counter IC for high throughput particle counting

A method for sensing distinct occurrences of particles of one or more sizes or particles falling within one or more particle size ranges during flow of at least one fluid in which particles are expected to exist within a set of microfluidic channels, the method comprising:

• generating a first particle sensing signal by way of a first Coulter counter configured to detect distinct occurrences of particles within a first fluid flowing through a first microfluidic channel;
• generating a first extracted particle sensing signal from the first particle sensing signal by way of a first input stage circuit;
• generating a first plurality of reference particle size threshold values;
• and
• generating a first set of particle event occurrence signals based upon the amplitude of the first extracted particle sensing signal by successively comparing the first extracted particle sensing signal amplitude with reference particle size threshold values within the first plurality of reference particle size threshold values,
• wherein each of the particle event occurrence signals within the first set of particle event occurrence signals indicates a sensed occurrence of a particle greater than or equal to a given reference particle size during flow of the first fluid through the first microfluidic channel, and
• wherein successively comparing the first extracted particle sensing signal amplitude with reference particle size threshold values within the first plurality of reference particle size threshold values occurs by way of a first SA ADC circuit.