Radiofrequency encoded angular-resolved light scattering

The sensitive, specific, and label-free classification of microscopic cells and organisms is one of the outstanding problems in biology. Today, instruments such as the flow cytometer use a combination of light scatter measurements at two distinct angles to infer the size and internal complexity of cells at rates of more than 10 000/s. However, by examining the entire angular light scattering spectrum, it is possible to classify cells with higher resolution and specificity. Current approaches to performing these angular spectrum measurements all have significant throughput limitations, making them incompatible with other state-of-the-art flow cytometers. Here, we introduce a method for performing complete angular scattering spectrum measurements at high throughput combining techniques from the field of scattering flow-cytometry and radiofrequency communications. Termed Radiofrequency Encoded Angular-resolved Light Scattering, this technique multiplexes angular light scattering in the radiofrequency domain, such that a single photodetector captures the entire scattering spectrum from a particle over approximately 100 discrete incident angles on a single shot basis. As a proof-of-principle experiment, we use this technique to perform scattering measurements over a range of 30° from a tapered optical fiber at a scan rate of 250 kHz.