Mbio Diagnostics, Inc.

Precision Photonics Corporation

Vescent Photonics, Inc.

Kurt Richard Vogel

Michael J Lochhead

Keagan B Rowley

Kevin D Moll

Marie J Delaney

Christopher J Myatt

Jeffrey T Ives

John S Dunn

Jason Ensher

Daniel T Nieuwlandt

Charles Greef

Kathryn Todorof

Chris Myatt

Eng Hiang Mark Yeo

Juan Pino

Michael E Deeds

Timothy P Dinneen

Evelyn S Woodruff

Michael Lochhead

A mode locking device is disclosed for altering repetition rate in a mode-locked laser. In an example device, laser light is coupled from a fiber into a cavity through a sliding pigtail collimator with a diameter selected such that it is a close tolerance fit with a female snout on a package. A lens focuses laser light to an appropriate spot size onto a SAM or SESAM, such that back-reflection into the fiber is maximized. A piezoelectric transducer is mounted in cooperation with the SAM or SESAM for cavity tuning.

Method and device for altering repetition rate in a mode-locked laser

A device for analyzing an analyte in a sample includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a fluidic channel, an inlet port and an outlet port. Each of the first substrate and the second substrate has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the first substrate forming, at least in part, the lower wall of the fluidic channel, and the inner surface of the second substrate forming, at least in part, the upper wall of the fluidic channel. The fluidic channel is connected to the inlet port and the outlet port. The fluidic channel includes a reagent region and a detection region, at least a portion of the reagent region being coated with one or more dried reagents. The device further includes a wicking pad located on the outer surface of the second substrate, the wicking pad being positioned at a pre-determined distance from the outlet port.

System and device for analyzing a fluidic sample

A particle identification system includes: a cartridge for containing a sample with fluorescently labeled particles; illumination for illuminating a region within the cartridge to stimulate emission from particles; imager for generating wavelength-filtered electronic images of the emission within at least one measurement field of the region; and particle identifier for processing the electronic images to determine a superset of particles of interest, and fluorescently labeled particles within the superset based on properties of the particles in the at least one measurement field. A method determines fluorescently labeled particles within a sample, by: processing at least one electronic image from at least one focal position within the sample; determining dimmest separation lines between brighter areas in the electronic image; and, for each of the brighter areas, determining local background level based on pixel values of the separation lines forming a perimeter therearound, to determine each of the fluorescently labeled particles.

Particle identification system, cartridge and associated methods

A cartridge for processing a sample includes (a) a planar waveguide with upper and lower planar surfaces defining an optical axis therebetween, wherein the upper planar surface has a plurality of capture molecules bound thereto, (b) a lens portion, coupled to the planar waveguide, for focusing and refracting a light beam propagating parallel to, but offset from, the optical axis such that the light beam couples into the planar waveguide and propagates therein along the optical axis at a non-zero, internal propagation angle &#x3b2; relative to the upper planar surface, and (c) a sample chamber for positioning the sample in contact with the plurality of capture molecules such that a target analyte of the sample is detectable through (i) an assay involving the target analyte and the capture molecules and (ii) evanescent illumination of the assay using the light beam within the planar waveguide.

Planar waveguide based cartridges and associated methods for detecting target analyte

A fluidic cartridge () with passively driven fluid flow is disclosed. The disclosed device and method solve problems associated with passive-flow fluidics by using a wicking pad () and/or a tilting means to prevent channel draining and backflow. The disclosure further provides means for adding liquid to the cartridge in multiple steps, without requiring liquid aspiration or removal.

Fluidic assay cartridge with controlled passive flow

A rapid diagnostic system that delivers a panel of serologic assay results using a small amount of blood, serum, or plasma is described. The system includes a disposable cartridge, including an integral lens portion coupled to a planar waveguide, and a reader instrument, based on planar waveguide imaging technology. The cartridge incorporates a microarray of recombinant antigens and antibody controls in a fluidic channel, providing multiple parallel fluorescence assay results for a single sample.

System and method for detecting multiple molecules in one assay

A rapid diagnostic system that delivers a panel of serologic assay results using a small amount of blood, serum, or plasma is described. The system includes a disposable cartridge and a reader instrument, based on planar waveguide imaging technology. The cartridge incorporates a microarray of recombinant antigens and antibody controls in a fluidic channel, providing multiple parallel fluorescence assay results for a single sample.

A sample can be illuminated for analysis using apparatus including a light source, a planar waveguide, and a refractive volume. The light source provides light along a propagation vector. The planar waveguide is oriented such that the propagation vector is perpendicular to the normal vector of the planar waveguide and offset from the planar waveguide in a direction parallel to the normal vector of the planar waveguide. The refractive volume is positioned proximate to the planar waveguide and can optically coupling light provided by the light source to the planar waveguide.

Waveguide with integrated lens

The invention allows for the accurate, real-time readout of the optical frequency of a swept-wavelength laser device by counting the number of fringes of a calibrated etalon that occur as the laser is swept. The distinguishing feature of the present invention is that the etalon fringe signal is phase-locked to a slave signal of a higher multiple frequency. The higher frequency of the slave signal divides the frequency interval of the etalon fringe spacing by the additional frequency multiple. The slave signal therefore generates a scale for optical frequency that is of higher resolution than possible with the etalon alone. The phase-lock also insures that the slave signal tracks monotonic scans of the optical frequency regardless of scan profile. The invention also allows for the precise, real-time control of the optical frequency of a laser during the sweep of the laser. By comparing a signal proportional to the transmission of light through a calibrated Fabry-Perot etalon to a reference control signal, the phase difference between etalon transmission signal and the reference signal may be fed back to the laser to drive the phase difference to zero (phase-lock). The phase-lock ensures that the optical frequency profile of the sweep follows exactly the frequency profile of the reference signal. Tailoring the input reference signal controls the velocity of the optical-frequency sweep.

Optical frequency sweep control and readout by using a phase lock

A wavelength locker includes a first beam splitter positioned in a beam path of an output beam produced by a laser. The first beam splitter splits the output beam into a first beam and a second beam. An interferometric optical element is optically contacted to the first beam splitter. The interferometric optical element receives the second beam from the first beam splitter and generates a third beam with an optical power that varies periodically with wavelength. A second beam splitter is positioned in a beam path of the first beam or in a beam path of an output beam produced by a laser, and creates a fourth beam. A first detector generates a first signal in proportion to an optical power of the third beam. A second detector generates a second signal in proportion to an optical power of the fourth beam. A wavelength of the output beam is adjusted in response to a comparison of the first and second signals and a predetermined reference signal level.

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Kurt Richard Vogel