Sealed fluorescence microscope with constant beam path

A fluorescence microscope, comprising:

• a housing comprising an upper wall with an opening;
• a glass stage overlying the opening, wherein the glass stage seals an interior of the housing from an outside environment and comprises an array of windows, each window configured to receive a specimen plate;
• a camera within the housing;
• a light source within the housing, wherein the light source is configured to generate an illumination beam;
• an optical assembly within the housing, wherein the optical assembly comprises an objective, and wherein the optical assembly is movable so as to provide an optical path for the illumination beam from the light source through the objective and onto a specimen positioned at each window in the array, and to provide an optical path for a fluorescence emission beam from each specimen through the objective and to the camera, wherein a length of the optical path for the fluorescence emission beam from each specimen to the camera is substantially the same;
• and
• a drive system configured to move the objective within a plane beneath the glass stage, and to selectively position the objective beneath each window in the array.

A fluorescence microscope, comprising:

• a housing comprising an upper wall with an opening;
• a glass stage overlying the opening, wherein the glass stage seals an interior of the housing from an outside environment, wherein the glass stage comprises an array of windows, each window configured to receive a specimen plate;
• a camera within the housing;
• and
• an optical assembly within the housing, the optical assembly comprising:
• a base secured to a lower wall of the housing;
• a first arm movably secured to the base, wherein the first arm is configured to rotate about a first axis;
• and
• a second arm movably secured to the first arm, wherein the second arm is configured to rotate about a second axis that is spaced apart from, and substantially parallel to, the first axis;
• wherein the second arm comprises an objective, a light source configured to generate an illumination beam, a beam splitter, and a first mirror, wherein the beam splitter is configured to direct the illumination beam from the light source through the objective and onto a specimen positioned at a respective window, and to direct a fluorescence emission beam from the specimen received by the objective to the first mirror, and wherein the first mirror is configured to direct the fluorescence emission beam into the first arm;
• wherein the first arm comprises a second mirror, and a third mirror, wherein the second mirror is configured to direct the fluorescence emission beam from the first mirror to the third mirror, and wherein the third mirror is configured to direct the fluorescence emission beam into the camera;
• wherein the first and second arms are movable such that a length of the optical path for the fluorescence emission beam from each specimen to the camera is substantially the same.