Regardless of the principle of operation, an ideal LC detector should have the following properties:

	Low drift and noise level (particularly crucial in trace analysis).
	High sensitivity.
	Fast response.
	Wide linear dynamic range (this simplifies quantitation).
	Low dead volume (minimal peak broadening).
	Cell design which eliminates remixing of the separated bands.
	Insensitivity to changes in type of solvent, flow rate, and temperature.
	Operational simplicity and reliability.
	It should be tuneable so that detection can be optimized for different compounds.
	It should be non-destructive.