US 2010/0301232 A1 · LASER SCANNER APPARATUS FOR FLUORESCENCE MEASUREMENTS

Abstract

The invention relates to a laser scanner apparatus (1) for imaging and/or measuring fluorescent samples which are located on specimen slides (8) and treated with two different fluorescent dyes and also to a corresponding method. This laser scanner apparatus (1) comprises a motor-driveable sample table (2) with a receptacle (34) for specimen slides (8) in a sample plane (49); at least one laser (51,52) and a first optical system (53) for providing two laser beams (54,55) of differing wavelength; a scanner means (72) comprising a scanner head (50) which can move in a direction of movement (75) and has an optical deflection element (56) for deflecting the laser beams (54,55) toward the sample; and a first objective (57) for focusing the laser beams (54,55) on the sample in the plane (49). The laser scanner apparatus (1) additionally comprises a second optical system (58) for forwarding to detectors (61,61′) emission beam bundles (59,60) which are triggered by the laser beams (54,55) on the sample and two detectors (61,61′) for detecting the emission beam bundles (59,60) of differing wavelength coming from the samples. The scanner means (72) also comprises a drive (71) and a counter oscillator (73), the scanner head (50) and counter oscillator (73) being connected to the drive (71) by means of connecting rods (70,70′) and each displaceably fastened to a linear guide (68). The drive (71) is implemented to bring the scanner head (50) into a rapid back-and-forth movement in a direction of movement (75). The counter oscillator (73) has a mass at least equivalent to the scanner head (50) for impulse compensation by a movement that is opposite to the scanner head (50). The optical deflection element (56) preferably causes spatial separation of two resulting focal points (65) by a distance δ and a spatial separation of the two emission beam bundles (59,60) that are non-parallel to each other and that are guided in the direction of the detectors (61,61′).

Claims18

Dependent claims

A laser scanner apparatus (1) for imaging and/or measuring fluorescent samples which are located on specimen slides and treated with two different fluorescent dyes, comprising:

(a) a motor-driveable sample table (2) with a receptacle (34) for specimen slides (8,10) in a sample plane (49);
(b) at least one laser (51,52) and a first optical system (53) for providing two laser beams (54,55) of differing wavelength oriented parallel to each other and extending parallel to this plane (49);
(c) a scanner means (72) comprising a scanner head (50) which is accomplished to be movable parallel to this plane (49) and back and forth in a direction of movement (75) and has an optical deflection element (56) for deflecting the laser beams (54,55) toward the sample;
(d) a first objective (57) for focusing the laser beams (54,55) on the sample in the plane (49);
(e) a second optical system (58) for forwarding to detectors (61,61′) emission beam bundles (59,60) which are triggered by the laser beams (54,55) on the sample and deflected by the first objective (57) and the deflection element (56) in a direction substantially parallel to the plane (49), and
(f) two detectors (61,61′) for detecting the emission beam bundles (59,60) of differing wavelength coming from the samples,
wherein the scanner means (72) further comprises a drive (71) and a counter oscillator (73), the scanner head (50) and counter oscillator (73) being connected to the drive (71) by means of connecting rods (70,70′) and each displaceably fastened to a linear guide (68);
the drive (71) being implemented to bring the scanner head (50) into a rapid back-and-forth movement in the direction of movement (75) which at the same time defines a scan axis (75);
the counter oscillator (73) having a mass at least equivalent to the scanner head (50) for impulse compensation by a movement that is opposite to the scanner head (50);
and
wherein the optical deflection element (56) is configured as one or a combination of a dichroic mirror (62), a full mirror, a prism, a pentaprism, and a pentamirror.

8 more elements

A method for operating a laser scanner apparatus (1) for imaging and/or measuring fluorescent samples which are located on specimen slides and treated with two different fluorescent dyes, which method includes the following steps:

(a) providing a motor-driveable sample table (2) with a receptacle (34) for specimen slides (8,10) in a sample plane (49);
(b) providing two laser beams (54,55) of differing wavelength oriented parallel to each other and extending parallel to this plane (49) with at least one laser (51,52) and a first optical system (53);
(c) deflecting the laser beams (54,55) toward the sample with an optical deflection element (56) of a scanner means (72) comprising a scanner head (50) which is movable back and forth parallel to this plane (49) and in a direction of movement (75);
(d) focusing the laser beams (54,55) on the sample in the plane (49) with a first objective (57);
(e) forwarding to detectors (61,61′) emission beam bundles (59,60) which are triggered by the laser beams (54,55) on the sample and deflected by the first objective (57) and the deflection element (56) in a direction substantially parallel to the plane (49) with a second optical system (58), and
(f) detecting the emission beam bundles (59,60) of differing wavelength coming from the samples using two detectors (61,61′),
wherein the scanner means (72) further comprises a drive (71) and a counter oscillator (73), the scanner head (50) and counter oscillator (73) being connected to the drive (71) by means of connecting rods (70,70′) and each displaceably fastened to a linear guide (68);
wherein by means of the drive (71), the scanner head (50) is brought into a rapid back-and-forth movement in the direction of movement (75) which at the same time defines a scan axis (75) and the counter oscillator (73), having a mass at least equivalent to the scanner head (50) for impulse compensation, performs an opposite movement opposite to the scanner head (50);
and
wherein the optical deflection element (56) is configured as one or a combination of a dichroic mirror (62), a full mirror, a prism, a pentaprism, and a pentamirror.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Laser scanner apparatus for fluorescence measurements

Life of this patent

Laser scanner apparatus for fluorescence measurements

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18