Temporal multiplexed excitation for miniaturized, planar fluorescence activated cell sorting

Abstract

A system for fluorescence activated cell sorting includes at least two excitation lasers and an objective that directs light from the at least two excitation lasers to a common point in an interrogation region of a fluidic channel. The fluidic channel directs a flow of a plurality of fluorescently labeled particles through the interrogation region. At least one modulator temporally multiplexes light from the at least two excitation lasers such that pulses of light from different lasers intersect the common point at different times. The system further includes at least one detector and at least one optical element that directs light emitted from the particles and transmitted through the objective to the at least one detector. The system may further include optics for generating and detecting side and forward scattered light. Methods for operating example systems to collect fluorescent, side scattered and forward scattered light are also described herein.