Spatially selective fixed-optics multicolor fluorescence detection system for a multichannel microfluidic device, and method for detection

A fluorescence detection system for detecting fluorescence of spatially selected volumes in multiple spatially selected volumes, comprising:

• a pair of cylindrical lenses mounted apart from each other by predetermined distance;
• multiple spherical piano-convex lenses arranged in a linear array;
• a laser emitting a beam of light which passes through the pair of cylindrical lenses and the spherical piano-convex lenses, the beam of light being split into multiple spots by the spherical piano-convex lenses, each of the spots being projected toward a different one of the spatially selected volumes;
• and
• an optical fiber corresponding to each of the spatially selected volumes;
• and
• ball lenses being positioned adjacent to ends of the optical fibers for receiving an emitted light from the spatially selected volumes,
• the ball lenses having diameters larger than diameters of the optical fibers, such that the light emitted from the spatially selected volumes and received by the ball lenses converges onto the apertures of the optical fibers.

A fluorescence detection system for detecting fluorescence of spatially selected volumes in multiple spatially selected volumes, comprising:

• an excitation laser emitting a beam of light, the beam of light being split into multiple spots by a series of beam splitters, and being projected toward a different one of the spatially selected volumes;
• and
• a detection optical fiber corresponding to each of the spatially selected volumes;
• ball lenses being positioned adjacent to ends of the detection optical fibers for receiving an emitted light from the spatially selected volumes, the ball lenses having diameters larger than diameters of the detection optical fibers, such that the light emitted from the spatially selected volumes and received by the ball lenses converges onto the apertures of the detection optical fibers;
• and
• a holder for mounting the ball lenses, and the detection optical fibers.

A method for analysing a plurality of spatially selected volumes by fluorescence, comprising:

• positioning an array of multiple ball lenses adjacent to multiple spatially selected volumes of a microfluidic device, each of the ball lenses corresponding to one of the spatially selected volumes;
• positioning an array of optical fibers, each corresponding to one of the ball lenses;
• simultaneously obtaining a fluorescence spectrum from a fluorescent substance in the spatially selected volumes in the multiple spatially selected volumes;
• wherein the ball lenses and ends of the optical fibers are separated by a first distance which is in a range of 3 to 40 times the diameter of the optical fibers, so that the light emitted from the spatially selected volumes and received by the ball lenses converge onto the ends of the optical fibers.