Bayer Corporation

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Peter E Spangenberg

Gerald Falbel

An optical illuminator assembly for an analytical instrument, such as a clinical hematology or a flow cytometer instrument, and method of aligning the components of the illuminator assembly. The illuminator assembly includes a plurality of optical components, such as a laser source, e.g., a laser diode, optionally a spatial filter, a beam shaping aperture, and a focussing lens. The optical components are mounted in mounting plates, frames or mounting cylinders, which are in turn coupled to a mounting surface on the assembly. Each of the mounting plates or frames is movable in the x and y directions, perpendicular to the laser beam, by micrometer adjusters having opposing spring plungers or the like, to decenter components in the desired laser beam path of the illuminator assembly. The micrometers and spring plungers are removably secured in the mounting surface so that after the x-y alignment, the mounting plates or frames can be secured to the mounting surface by, e.g., screws, and the micrometers and spring plungers are removed. The beam focussing lenses are similarly mounted in mounting cylinders and adjusted in the z direction of the beam path (focused) by removably mounted adjusters, such as eccentric focussing tools. After focussing, the focusing tools are removed. Thus, a factory alignment and a low cost prealigned optical illuminator assembly is obtained.

Illuminator optical assembly for an analytical instrument and methods of

An optical illuminator assembly for an analytical instrument, such as a clinical hematology or a flow cytometer instrument, and method of aligning the components of the illuminator assembly and orienting the illuminator assembly. The illuminator assembly includes a plurality of optical components, such as a laser source, e.g., a laser diode, optionally a spatial filter, a beam shaping aperture, and a focussing lens. The optical components are mounted in or to a housing and are internally oriented with respect to the housing to produce a focussed laser beam output. The housing is in turn mounted on an alignment mechanism which can move the focussed beam in four degrees of freedom, thereby to direct the focussed beam to a particular location. Thus, a factory alignment and a low cost prealigned optical illuminator assembly is obtained, which can be easily oriented for use in an instrument.

Method and apparatus for an optical illuminator assembly and its

Methods and apparatus for an optical illuminator assembly and its

A protection device for an electro-optical detector used in systems for making far field diagnostic measurements of a high energy laser beam comprises a solid silicon cone having a truncated apex which functions as the pin hole aperture for the detector. The large end of the cone has a surface defined by the radius drawn from the cone axis at the truncation. This surface is coated with a reflective attenuation layer which reflects a high percentage of the energy of the incident laser beam entering the pinhole aperture thereby minimizing the absorption of the beam by the cone. The high index of refraction of the solid silicon cone permits large off-axis angles of the laser beam to be directed onto the detector resultingly increasing the field of view of a system using a given detector. The increased field of view allows a closer spacing of a plurality of detectors in the system ensuring a high spatial resolution of the laser beam for a desired field of view.

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Monroe, CT, United States of America

Peter E Spangenberg