Apparatus and method for differentiating multiple fluorescence signals by excitation wavelength

An apparatus comprising:

• a reaction region holding assembly configured to hold an array of reaction regions, each reaction region configured to receive a sample containing a nucleic acid sequence and a plurality of different detectable markers;
• a plurality of excitation light sources, each excitation light source configured to emit a plurality of wavelength ranges, each of the plurality of excitation wavelength ranges corresponding to a respective excitation wavelength range of a respective one of the plurality of different detectable markers;
• a plurality of detectors, each of the detectors configured to detect an emission wavelength range emitted from each of the plurality of detectable markers;
• a plurality of lenses, each of the lenses configured to direct excitation light from one of the excitation light sources into a respective one of the reaction regions and to direct emission light from the respective one of the reaction regions to a respective one of the detectors;
• a plurality of lightpipes, each lightpipe having one of the lenses at a first end of the lightpipe, and a second end proximal a respective one of the plurality of excitation light sources and a respective one of the detectors, wherein light from the respective light source and emission light from the respective reaction region pass through a common cross-section of the second end.

An apparatus comprising:

• a reaction region holding assembly configured to hold a plurality of reaction regions, each reaction region configured to receive a sample containing a nucleic acid sequence and a plurality of different detectable markers;
• a plurality of excitation light sources, each excitation light source configured to emit a plurality of wavelength ranges;
• a plurality of detectors, each of the detectors configured to detect emissions from the detectable markers;
• a plurality of lenses, each of the lenses configured to direct excitation light from one of the excitation light sources into a respective one of the reaction regions and to direct emissions from the respective one of the reaction regions to a respective one of the detectors;
• a plurality of lightpipes, each lightpipe comprising:
• a first end proximal one of the lenses, and
• a second end proximal a respective one of the plurality of excitation light sources and a respective one of the detectors,
• wherein light from the respective light source and emissions from the respective reaction site pass through a common cross-section of the second end.