US 5,459,325 A · High-speed fluorescence scanner

Abstract

A high-speed fluorescence scanner for scanning a sample at equal angles is disclosed. The scanner has most of its optical components, including a light beam source, a detector, and various filters, lenses, and reflectors, in a fixed position, removed from the scan head. The lightweight scan head contains a single reflector and lens combination which is reciprocated rapidly along one axis to lengthen and shorten a region of the path of a collimated excitation beam and to form a scan line on a sample. The fluorescence emission may be gathered by the lens of the scan head and directed back, generally along the optical path of the excitation beam, to a detector. Another embodiment of the scanner places the light source, in miniature form, directly on the scan head. The sample may be translated in an axis orthogonal to the scan line in order to stimulate fluorescent emission from a two-dimensional portion of the sample. The design of the optical assembly currently permits scan speeds of up to approximately 100 inches per second.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A high-speed optical scanner for directing a beam at equal angles at a plurality of locations on a sample in an image plane comprising,

means for producing a collimated excitation beam of light having a first spectral characteristic,
a scan head having
(i) a reflector disposed to receive the excitation beam at a constant angle and to deflect the excitation beam, and
(ii) a lens disposed to intercept the excitation beam deflected by the reflector and to focus the excitation beam to a location on the sample in the image plane to cause fluorescent emission having a second spectral characteristic from the sample, and to gather the fluorescent emission from the sample, the fluorescent emission being directed back to the reflector,
actuator means for reciprocally moving the scan head in a linear direction, whereby the excitation beam impinges upon the sample within the image plane in a scan line,
a spectral dispersion device for separating the spectral characteristics of fluorescent emission from the spectral characteristics of excitation.

3 more elements

An optical scanner for rapid stimulation and fluorescence detection of samples comprising,

an optical assembly having
(i) a light source emitting an excitation beam,
(ii) a collimator positioned proximate to the light source,
(iii) a first reflector positioned at an angle in the path of the excitation beam, whereby the excitation beam is received by the first reflector and deflected,
(iv) a second reflector positioned at an angle in the path taken by the excitation beam after it has been deflected by the first reflector, whereby the excitation beam is received by the second reflector and deflected,
(v) a first lens positioned proximate to the second reflector in the path taken by the excitation beam after it has been deflected by the second reflector, whereby the excitation beam is received by the first lens and focused onto a sample to stimulate fluorescence emission therefrom, and whereby the fluorescence emission is gathered by the first lens and directed generally along the path taken by the excitation beam,
(vi) a spectral dispersion device positioned in the path of the excitation beam and the gathered fluorescence emission, whereby the fluorescence emission is separated from the excitation beam by spectral characteristics, and
(vii) a detector responsive to fluorescence emission positioned in the path taken by the fluorescence emission after it has been deflected by the second reflector,
a movable support carrying the second reflector and the first lens, and
an actuator for reciprocating the movable support in a linear direction, whereby the path of the excitation beam between the first and second reflectors is lengthened and shortened and the excitation beam impinges upon the sample in a scan line.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

High-speed fluorescence scanner

Life of this patent

High-speed fluorescence scanner

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31