Bioanalytical instrumentation using a light source subsystem

A method of analyzing one or more analyte comprising the steps of:

• providing one or more light pipes for use in generating luminescence, wherein each light pipe includes
• an excitation source which provides excitation energy, and
• a luminescent material which acts as a secondary absorber of the excitation energy, and wherein the luminescent material, when excited by the excitation source, generates and emits luminescence through an exit region of the light pipe;
• providing relay optics which are used to
• direct the luminescence at one or more wavelengths, from the one or more light pipes, onto one or more analyte, and
• direct emitted light, from the one or more analyte as a reaction to the luminescence, onto one or more light detector;
• and
• using the emitted light to detect one or more of the presence or characteristics of the one or more analyte.

A system for use in analyzing one or more analyte comprising:

• a light pipe for use in generating luminescence, wherein the light pipe includes
• an LED excitation source which provides excitation light, and
• a luminescent material which absorbs the excitation light, and wherein the luminescent material, when excited by the excitation light, generates and emits luminescence through an exit region of the light pipe;
• relay optics which are used to direct the luminescence from the light pipe onto an analyte and direct light emitted by the analyte onto a detector;
• and
• wherein analysis of light received by the detector is used to determine a characteristic of the analyte.