Sample masking using wavelength-selective material
AssigneeBio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
InventorDavid C. Brown
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable masking mechanism for use in connection with the exposure of a sample to a beam of analytical radiation and a beam of viewing radiation that facilitates aligning the movable elements of the mask with the edges of the sample. Whereas the prior art mechanisms utilize materials that are opaque to both the analytical radiation and the viewing radiation, the present invention uses one or more movable elements that are substantially opaque to the analytical radiation and at least partially transmissive to at least a portion of the spectral range of the viewing radiation.
Claims19
A method of masking a sample for analysis in an optical instrument comprising the steps of:
- exposing the sample to a source of viewing radiation;
- focusing the viewing radiation emanating from the sample in an image plane;
- exposing the sample to a source analytic radiation;
- focusing the analytic radiation emanating from the sample in the image plane;
- providing a masking mechanism including at least one mask element, movable in the image plane, that is substantially opaque to the analytical radiation and at least partially transmissive to at least a portion of the spectral range of the viewing radiation;
- and
- adjusting the mask element relative to an image of the sample in the image plane while the sample is exposed to viewing radiation, whereby the image of the sample including any portions of the image of the sample that are formed by viewing radiation that encounters the mask element can be seen, analytic radiation that encounters the mask element while the sample is exposed to analytic radiation is blocked.
An optical instrument comprising:
- an optical train, including a source of analytical radiation, for exposing a sample to a beam of analytical radiation and for collecting analytical radiation emanating from the sample for detection, said optical train having a particular plane in which the analytical radiation is focused;
- a viewing system, including a source of viewing radiation, for exposing the sample to a beam of viewing radiation, said viewing system operating to focus said viewing radiation in said particular plane;
- a support structure having an aperture, the support structure configured to be mounted in the optical instrument so that the beam of analytical radiation and the beam of viewing radiation pass through the aperture;
- and
- an element mounted to said support structure for movement in said particular plane over a set of positions wherein said element intercepts different areas of said aperture, said element being substantially opaque to the analytical radiation and at least partially transmissive to at least a portion of the spectral range of the viewing radiation.
An optical instrument for analyzing a sample using analytical radiation, comprising:
- an optical train, including a source of analytical radiation, for exposing the sample to a beam of analytical radiation and for collecting analytical radiation emanating from the sample for detection, said optical train having a particular plane in which the analytical radiation is focused;
- a viewing system, including a source of viewing radiation, for exposing the sample to a beam of viewing radiation, said viewing system operating to focus said viewing radiation in said particular plane;
- a support structure having an aperture, the support structure being mounted in the optical instrument so that the beam of analytical radiation and the beam of viewing radiation pass through the aperture;
- and
- an element mounted to said support structure for movement in said particular plane between a first position wherein said element intercepts a minimum area of said aperture and a second position wherein said element intercepts a maximum area of said aperture, said element being substantially opaque to the analytical radiation and at least partially transmissive to at least a portion of the spectral range of the viewing radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.