阅读说明：本技术 光子计数器计数灵敏度一致性的测试装置与方法 (Testing device and method for counting sensitivity consistency of photon counter ) 是由 黄之瑶 李珅 王兴超 孙建宁 顾燕 司曙光 黄国瑞 石梦瑶 金真 宋淳 于 2020-05-09 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种光子计数器计数灵敏度一致性的测试装置,包括屏蔽暗箱、可旋转光源装置、环形测试台、光源驱动器、电子学系统以及计算机系统,电子学系统与计算机系统连接,光源驱动器电连接到可旋转光源装置以驱动其发光。计算机系统控制光源驱动器的光源脉冲驱动、控制可旋转光源装置的转动以及接收光子计数测量值。环形测试台设置有多个测试工位；多个测试工位围绕可旋转光源装置均匀布置,可旋转光源装置具有多个光束出口,在旋转过程通过光束出口照射出光束到测试工位夹持的光子计数器的光电阴极面；计算机系统,被设置成根据多个测试工位的光子计数器在可旋转光源装置旋转过程中照射的光束而输出的光子计数测量值进行一致性检测。(The invention provides a device for testing the counting sensitivity consistency of a photon counter, which comprises a shielding dark box, a rotatable light source device, an annular test bench, a light source driver, an electronic system and a computer system, wherein the electronic system is connected with the computer system, and the light source driver is electrically connected with the rotatable light source device to drive the rotatable light source device to emit light. The computer system controls the light source pulse driving of the light source driver, controls the rotation of the rotatable light source device, and receives photon count measurements. The annular test bench is provided with a plurality of test stations; the plurality of test stations are uniformly arranged around the rotatable light source device, the rotatable light source device is provided with a plurality of light beam outlets, and light beams are irradiated out through the light beam outlets in the rotating process and reach the photoelectric cathode surface of the photon counter clamped by the test stations; and the computer system is arranged to carry out consistency detection according to photon counting measurement values output by the photon counters of the plurality of test stations through the light beams irradiated by the photon counters during the rotation of the rotatable light source device.)

1. A test device for the consistency of the counting sensitivity of a photon counter is characterized by comprising a shielding dark box, a rotatable light source device, a ring-shaped test bench, a light source driver, an electronic system and a computer system, wherein the electronic system is connected with the computer system, and the light source driver is electrically connected with the rotatable light source device to drive the rotatable light source device to emit light, wherein:

the shielding camera bellows is configured for providing a dark test environment and shielding external illumination and electromagnetic wave interference, and the rotatable light source device, the annular test bench and the light source driver are arranged in the shielding camera bellows; the computer system and the electronic system are arranged outside the shielding camera bellows and are connected into the shielding camera bellows through cables so as to control the light source pulse driving of the light source driver, control the rotation of the rotatable light source device and receive photon counting measured values;

the annular test bench is fixed at the bottom of the shielding camera bellows, a plurality of test stations are arranged on the annular test bench, each test station can clamp the photon counter and enable the photocathode surface of the photon counter to face the center of the annular test bench, and each test station is also provided with a power interface for being electrically connected to a stabilized voltage power supply in the shielding camera bellows and supplying power to the photon counter on each test station;

the rotatable light source device is arranged at the central position of the shielding camera bellows, the plurality of test stations are uniformly arranged around the circumference of the rotatable light source device, and the rotatable light source device is provided with a plurality of light beam outlets so as to irradiate light beams to a photocathode surface of a photon counter clamped by the test stations through the light beam outlets in the rotating process;

the electronic system is provided with an oscilloscope and a Scaler plug-in unit, the oscilloscope is used for indicating the signal state of the photon counter, and the signal output by the photon counter of each test station is transmitted to the Scaler plug-in unit for testing the sensitivity counting rate;

the computer system is configured to perform consistency detection based on photon count measurements from the photon counters of the plurality of test stations from the light beam illuminated during rotation of the rotatable light source device.

2. The device for testing the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counter according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable light source device is provided with a base, a stepping motor, a monochromatic light source, an integrating sphere, an optical splitter and a rotating device, the rotating device is supported on the base, and the stepping motor drives the rotating device to rotate through a rotating shaft;

the light source is arranged on an input hole of the integrating sphere, a main head of the optical splitter is connected with a light outlet of the integrating sphere, light is input from the main head and then distributed to each output branch head of the optical splitter in proportion, and when input light changes, output light of each output branch head changes in the same proportion; the rotating device is provided with light emitting holes which are distributed at equal angles along the rotating surface of the light source, and the output taps of the optical branching devices are respectively fixed in the corresponding light emitting holes, so that light emitted by the light source finally irradiates a testing station of the annular testing platform.

3. The device for testing the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counter according to claim 2, wherein the optical splitter is a quartz fiber optical splitter, and the light intensity ratio of the output of each output tap is between 0.9 and 1.

4. The device for testing the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counter according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a laser diode monochromatic light source, the central wavelength is 405nm, and the power is 20 mW.

5. The apparatus for testing the consistency of the counting sensitivity of a photon counter according to claim 4, wherein the light source driver is set to have a pulse signal frequency of 15kHz, a pulse width of 20ns and a pulse amplitude of 2.1V.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer system controls the rotatable light source to rotate to sequentially switch each light outlet to a testing station of each photon counter and read a sensitivity measurement A of each count₁,A₂,…,A_n(ii) a Wherein the light intensity of the light-emitting holes is X in sequence₁,X₂,…,X_n；

And determining the counting average value C of the photon counter under each light outlet hole according to the light intensity and sensitivity measurement values₁,C₂,…,C_n。

7. The apparatus for testing the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counter according to claim 6, wherein the mean value of the counts of the photon counter measured under the light outlet is measured by:

then, the ratio of the count sensitivity of the batch photon counter for obtaining the batch test is:

A₁:A₂:…：A_n＝C₁:C₂:…：C_n

then, obtaining the consistency U of the counting sensitivity of the photon counter tested in the batch_nComprises the following steps:

wherein:

8. the method for testing the consistency of the count sensitivity of a photon counter of a testing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by comprising the steps of:

step (1), after uniformly mixing incident light emitted by a light source in an integrating sphere, emitting the light from the integrating sphere, and irradiating the light to the surface of a cathode of a photon counter through an optical splitter;

step (2), controlling and setting light source driving parameters through a computer system, and adjusting to a state to be detected;

reading a counting sensitivity measured value of a photon counter through an electronic system;

and (4) controlling the rotation of the rotatable light source device through a computer program to enable each light outlet to be sequentially switched to a test station of each photon counter, and reading a sensitivity measurement value A counted each time₁,A₂,…,A_n(ii) a Wherein the light intensity of the light-emitting holes is X in sequence₁,X₂,…,X_n；

And determining the counting average value C of the photon counter under each light outlet hole according to the light intensity and sensitivity measurement values₁,C₂,…,C_n。

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of photon counters, in particular to a device and a method for testing the counting sensitivity consistency of a photon counter.

Background

The photon counter is a weak light detection instrument and is widely applied to the fields of chemiluminescence, immunoassay and the like. The photon counter generally consists of a photomultiplier and a rear-end electronic component, and the counting sensitivity of the photon counter is the most important index for evaluating the photon counter and directly influences the accuracy of medical detection instruments such as a chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer. Because the current production process can not make the counting sensitivity of each photon counter completely consistent, the counting sensitivity between individuals is greatly dispersed, and the number of photons output by different photon counters to light with the same light intensity has some deviation, the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counters needs to be evaluated so as to reduce the error of the test value of each medical instrument.

The existing testing device for evaluating the counting sensitivity of the photon counter mainly moves the same optical fiber to the front of the cathode of each photon counter so as to ensure that the incident light intensity received by the cathode of each counter is consistent and respectively obtain the counting sensitivity of the counter. The test scheme has the advantages that the light source and the standard tube are calibrated, the requirement on the stability of the light source is high, the test efficiency is too low, and batch test cannot be realized.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a device and a method for testing the counting sensitivity consistency of a photon counter, which realize the measurement of the counting sensitivity consistency by using a rotary light source and an optical splitter.

In order to achieve the purpose, the technical scheme adopted by the invention is as follows:

the testing device for the counting sensitivity consistency of the photon counter comprises a shielding dark box, a rotatable light source device, an annular testing platform, a light source driver, an electronic system and a computer system, wherein the electronic system is connected with the computer system, and the light source driver is electrically connected with the rotatable light source device to drive the rotatable light source device to emit light, wherein:

the shielding camera bellows is configured for providing a dark test environment and shielding external illumination and electromagnetic wave interference, and the rotatable light source device, the annular test bench and the light source driver are arranged in the shielding camera bellows; the computer system and the electronic system are arranged outside the shielding camera bellows and are connected into the shielding camera bellows through cables so as to control the light source pulse driving of the light source driver, control the rotation of the rotatable light source device and receive photon counting measured values;

the annular test bench is fixed at the bottom of the shielding camera bellows, a plurality of test stations are arranged on the annular test bench, each test station can clamp the photon counter and enable the photoelectric cathode surface of the photon counter to face the center of the annular test bench, and each test station is also provided with a power interface for being electrically connected to a stabilized voltage power supply in the shielding camera bellows and supplying power to the photon counter on each test station;

the rotatable light source device is arranged at the central position of the shielding camera bellows, the plurality of test stations are uniformly arranged around the circumference of the rotatable light source device, and the rotatable light source device is provided with a plurality of light beam outlets so as to irradiate light beams to a photocathode surface of a photon counter clamped by the test stations through the light beam outlets in the rotating process;

the electronic system is provided with an oscilloscope and a Scaler plug-in unit, the oscilloscope is used for indicating the signal state of the photon counter, and the signal output by the photon counter of each test station is transmitted to the Scaler plug-in unit for testing the sensitivity counting rate;

the computer system is configured to perform consistency detection based on photon count measurements output by photon counters of the plurality of test stations from the light beams illuminated by the photon counters during rotation of the rotatable light source device.

Further, the rotatable light source device is provided with a base, a stepping motor, a monochromatic light source, an integrating sphere, an optical splitter and a rotating device, wherein the rotating device is supported on the base, and the stepping motor drives the rotating device to rotate through a rotating shaft;

the light source is arranged on an input hole of the integrating sphere, a main head of the optical splitter is connected with a light outlet of the integrating sphere, light is input from the main head and then distributed to each output branch head of the optical splitter in proportion, and when input light changes, output light of each output branch head changes in the same proportion; the rotating device is provided with light emitting holes which are distributed at equal angles along the rotating surface of the light source, and the output taps of the optical branching devices are respectively fixed in the corresponding light emitting holes, so that light emitted by the light source finally irradiates a testing station of the annular testing platform.

Furthermore, the optical splitter is a quartz fiber optical splitter, and the ratio of the light intensity output by each output branch is 0.9-1.

Further, the light source is a laser diode monochromatic light source, the central wavelength is 405nm, and the power is 20 mW.

Further, the light source driver was set to a pulse signal frequency of 15kHz, a pulse width of 20ns, and a pulse amplitude of 2.1V.

Further, the computer system controls the rotatable light source device to rotate, so that each light outlet hole is sequentially switched to the test station of each photon counter, and the sensitivity measurement value A of each counting is read₁,A₂,…,A_n(ii) a Wherein go outThe light intensity of the light hole is X in sequence₁,X₂,…,X_n；

And determining the counting average value C of the photon counter under each light outlet hole according to the light intensity and sensitivity measurement values₁,C₂,…,C_n。

Further, the count average value of the photon counter measured under the light outlet is measured by the following method:

then, the ratio of the count sensitivity of the batch photon counter for obtaining the batch test is:

A₁∶A₂∶…∶A_n＝C₁∶C₂∶…∶C_n

then, obtaining the consistency U of the counting sensitivity of the photon counter tested in the batch_nComprises the following steps:

wherein:

the second aspect of the present invention further provides a method for testing consistency of counting sensitivity of a photon counter, including the following steps:

step (1), after uniformly mixing incident light emitted by a light source in an integrating sphere, emitting the light from the integrating sphere, and irradiating the light to the surface of a cathode of a photon counter through an optical splitter;

step (2), controlling and setting light source driving parameters through a computer system, and adjusting to a state to be detected;

reading a counting sensitivity measured value of a photon counter through an electronic system;

and (4) controlling the rotation of the rotatable light source device through a computer program to enable each light outlet to be sequentially switched to a test station of each photon counter, and reading a sensitivity measurement value A counted each time₁，A₂，…，A_n(ii) a Wherein the light intensity of the light-emitting holes is X in sequence₁，X₂，…，X_n；

And determining the counting average value C of the photon counter under each light outlet hole according to the light intensity and sensitivity measurement values₁，C₂，…，C_n。

Compared with the prior art, the device and the method for testing the counting sensitivity consistency of the photon counter realize the measurement of the counting sensitivity consistency by using the rotary light source and the optical splitter, compared with the traditional standard light source testing method, the device and the method do not need to calibrate the light source in advance, have lower requirements on the stability of the light source, and can accurately evaluate the counting sensitivity consistency of the photon counter by the computing method disclosed by the invention.

By the method, the photon counters can be tested in batches, and when a plurality of batches of photon counters are tested, one photon counter with better performance can be reserved as a reference tube to be tested together with the next batch of photon counters for comparing the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counters in different batches. And normalizing the counting sensitivity test values measured by different batches of photon counters serving as reference tubes, so as to obtain the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counters of multiple batches.

It should be understood that all combinations of the foregoing concepts and additional concepts described in greater detail below can be considered as part of the inventive subject matter of this disclosure unless such concepts are mutually inconsistent. In addition, all combinations of claimed subject matter are considered a part of the presently disclosed subject matter.

The foregoing and other aspects, embodiments and features of the present teachings can be more fully understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Additional aspects of the present invention, such as features and/or advantages of exemplary embodiments, will be apparent from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of specific embodiments in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

Drawings

The drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. Embodiments of various aspects of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the testing device for consistency of counting sensitivity of the photon counter of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary apparatus for testing the consistency of the count sensitivity of a photon counter according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus for testing the consistency of the count sensitivity of the photon counter of the embodiment of FIG. 2.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a light source device of the test device for testing the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counter in the embodiment of fig. 2.

Detailed Description

In order to better understand the technical content of the present invention, specific embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In this disclosure, aspects of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a number of illustrative embodiments are shown. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not necessarily intended to include all aspects of the invention. It should be appreciated that the various concepts and embodiments described above, as well as those described in greater detail below, may be implemented in any of numerous ways, as the disclosed concepts and embodiments are not limited to any one implementation. In addition, some aspects of the present disclosure may be used alone, or in any suitable combination with other aspects of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 1 to 4, the testing apparatus for the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counter according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a shadow camera 10, a ring-shaped testing table 20, a rotatable light source device 30, a light source driver, an electronic system, and a computer system. The electronic system is connected with the computer system. The light source driver is electrically connected to the rotatable light source device to drive it to emit light.

In the embodiment of the invention, the light source adopts a laser diode monochromatic light source, the central wavelength is 405nm, and the power is 20 mW.

The light source driver was set to a pulse signal frequency of 15kHz, a pulse width of 20ns, and a pulse amplitude of 2.1V.

The shielding dark box 10 is configured to provide a dark test environment and shield external light and electromagnetic wave interference. The rotatable light source arrangement 30, the annular test stand 20 and the light source driver are mounted inside a shielded camera bellows. A computer system and electronics system disposed outside the shielded camera and connected by a cable to the shielded camera for controlling the pulsed driving of the light source by the light source driver, controlling the rotation of the rotatable light source device, and receiving the photon count measurements.

Optionally, the shielded dark box 10 has a voltage-stabilized power supply built therein for supplying power to the photon counter.

The rotatable light source device 30 is placed in the center of the shielding camera bellows 10, the photon counter 50 is fixed on a testing station of the annular testing table through a clamp 40, and the testing station is sequentially placed around the rotatable light source device. The clamp 40 is in particular of the wrap-around type adapted to a photon counter.

An annular test stand 20 is secured to the bottom of the shielded dark box. The annular test station 20 is provided with a plurality of test stations, and each test station can clamp the photon counter and enable the photocathode surface of the photon counter to face the center of the annular test station.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, each test station is also provided with a power interface 60 for electrical connection to a regulated power supply within the shielded dark box for powering the photon counter on each test station.

The rotatable light source device 30 is arranged at the center of the shielding dark box. The plurality of test stations are arranged uniformly around the circumference of the rotatable light source device having a plurality of light beam outlets, i.e., light outlets 35, to irradiate light beams through the light beam outlets to the photocathode face of the photon counter held by the test stations during rotation. And the photoelectric cathode surface receives the light beam irradiation and then carries out photoelectric conversion output.

The electronic system is provided with an oscilloscope and a Scaler plug-in. The oscilloscope is used for indicating the signal state of the photon counter, and the signal output by the photon counter of each test station is transmitted to the Scaler plug-in unit for testing the sensitivity counting rate. The signals and count rate values obtained by the electronics system are transmitted to the computer system via a cable.

The computer system, preferably an industrial computer or an embedded system, performs consistency detection based on photon count measurements output by photon counters of a plurality of test stations from light beams illuminated by the rotatable light source device during rotation.

As shown in fig. 1 and 4, the rotatable light source device 30 includes a base 31, a stepping motor, a monochromatic light source, an integrating sphere, an optical splitter, and a rotating device supported on the base 31, and the stepping motor drives the rotating device to rotate via a rotating shaft.

As shown in fig. 1, the light source is installed on the input hole of the integrating sphere, the total head of the optical splitter is connected with the light outlet of the integrating sphere, light is input from the total head and then proportionally distributed to the output taps 34 of the optical splitter, and when the input light changes, the output light of the output taps changes according to the same proportion.

The rotating device is provided with light emitting holes 35 distributed at equal angles along the rotating surface of the light source, and the output taps 34 of the optical branching devices are respectively fixed in the corresponding light emitting holes, so that light emitted by the light source finally irradiates a testing station of the annular testing table.

Preferably, the optical splitter is a silica fiber optical splitter. As shown in fig. 4, an input hole of the integrating sphere is connected with a monochromatic light source, a one-branch 6-path quartz optical fiber main head is connected with a light outlet of the integrating sphere, light is proportionally distributed to 6 output branch heads after the light is input from the main head, the rotatable light source device is a hexagonal rotatable optical fiber clamp, the centers of six edges are respectively provided with 1 through hole for inserting the output branch heads of one-branch 6-path optical fibers, the 6 output branch heads are respectively inserted into 6 optical fiber through holes, and the light intensity ratio output by each output branch head is between 0.9 and 1.

The annular test bench correspondingly comprises 6 test stations for placing a measured photon counter, and each fixed station is provided with a 5V/12V adjustable voltage-stabilized power supply interface, a BNC signal output interface and a clamp capable of replacing a sample. The cathode surfaces of the 6 photon counters respectively face 6 light outlets on the rotatable light source device, and the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the 6 photon counters can be tested at one time.

During the test process, the computer system changes the light intensity by setting the parameters of the light source driver, controls the rotatable light source device to rotate to the appointed test station, and controls and configures the electronic system for test. Specifically, the rotatable light source device is controlled by the computer system to rotate, each light outlet is sequentially switched to the test station of each photon counter, and the sensitivity measurement value A of each counting is read₁，A₂，…，A_n(ii) a Wherein the light intensity of the light-emitting holes is X in sequence₁，X₂，…，X_n；

And determining the counting average value C of the photon counter under each light outlet hole according to the light intensity and sensitivity measurement values₁，C₂，…，C_n。

The computer software collects the Scaler plug-in test data, displays the data in real time on line and analyzes the test data to obtain a test result, so that a tester can master the test condition in real time, the test state of the photon counter can be adjusted in time, and the accuracy and the safety of the test are ensured.

With reference to fig. 1 and 2, the specific test process includes:

step (1), after uniformly mixing incident light emitted by a light source in an integrating sphere, emitting the light from the integrating sphere, and irradiating the light to the surface of a cathode of a photon counter through an optical splitter;

step (2), controlling and setting light source driving parameters through a computer system, and adjusting to a state to be detected;

reading a counting sensitivity measured value of a photon counter through an electronic system;

and (4) controlling the rotation of the rotatable light source device through a computer program to enable each emergent light to rotateThe holes are sequentially switched to the test station of each photon counter and the sensitivity measurement A of each count is read₁，A₂，…，A_n(ii) a Wherein the light intensity of the light-emitting holes is X in sequence₁，X₂，…，X_n；

And determining the counting average value C of the photon counter under each light outlet hole according to the light intensity and sensitivity measurement values₁，C₂，…，C_n。

Wherein, preferably, the counting average value of the photon counter measured under the light outlet is measured by the following way:

then, the ratio of the count sensitivity of the batch photon counter for obtaining the batch test is:

A₁∶A₂∶…∶A_n＝C₁∶C₂∶…∶C_n

then, obtaining the consistency U of the counting sensitivity of the photon counter tested in the batch_nComprises the following steps:

wherein:

therefore, when a plurality of batches of photon counters are tested, one photon counter with better performance can be reserved as a reference tube to be tested together with the next batch of photon counters for comparing the consistency of the counting sensitivity of different batches of photon counters. And normalizing the counting sensitivity test values measured by different batches of photon counters serving as reference tubes, so as to obtain the consistency of the counting sensitivity of the photon counters of multiple batches.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.