Horizontal surface plasmon resonance instrument with improved light path
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsEric P. Codner, Robert M. Corn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surface plasmon resonance imaging apparatus provides an improved optical assembly allowing fixed source and detector operating with a horizontal test surface for a more compact design. In a preferred embodiment, a mechanical linkage of planar mirrors provides a single point adjustment of angle of incidence and angle of refraction while maintaining a constant optical axis of the source and detector.
Claims15
A horizontal surface plasmon resonance instrument for use with a sample cell having a metallic film with probe molecules attached to a first side of the film exposable to material flow across the first side of the film and having a transparent support attached to a second side of the film opposite the first side, the horizontal surface plasmon resonance instrument comprising:
- a support frame having:
- a) an entrance providing a path for receiving an analyzing light beam along a first fixed axis;
- b) an exit for providing a path for transmitting a modified light beam along a second fixed axis;
- and
- a holder for supporting the sample cell with the metallic film in a horizontal orientation;
- an optical assembly for adjustably directing the analyzing light beam received along the first axis at one of a range of incident angles at the second side of a film of a sample cell in the holder and for directing reflected light received at a corresponding one of a range of reflection angles from the second side of the film back along the second axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.