Blue Detector for High Sensitivity Instrumentation

The Argon laser is now the blue light source technology of choice for detectors in analytical instruments such as flow cytometers and chromatographs. However, its lifetime is less than a year of continuous operation, after which it must be replaced at a cost averaging nearly one dollar per operating hour. Substituting a diode laser based system will extend the lifetime by a factor of ten or more and result in a lower operating cost, higher sensitivity, and a much smaller package. It is now possible, technically, to produce doubled diode laser based sources, but the cost of the nonlinear crystal prevents serious commercial interest. We have developed a new technology which allows the size of the crystal to be substantially reduced, lowering the cost of the system. In Phase I, we will demonstrate experimentally that we can produce the calculated output power with our low-cost technology. We will modify an in-house breadboard system to incorporate the new technology and measure the power. In Phase II, we will develop a prototype detector using this source and work with a user and a system manufacturer to demonstrate the advantages in flow cytometers.