US 6,236,456 B1 · Optical system for a scanning fluorometer

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining the fluorescence, luminescence, or absorption of a sample is provided. The sample may either be contained within a cuvette or within one or more sample wells within a multi-assay plate. A combination of a broadband source, a monochromator, and a series of optical filters are used to tune the excitation wavelength to a predetermined value within a relatively wide wavelength band. A similar optical configuration is used to tune the detection wavelength. In one aspect, multiple optical fibers are coupled to the excitation source subassembly, thus allowing the system to be quickly converted from one optical configuration to another. For example, the source can be used to illuminate either the top or the bottom of a sample well within a multi-assay plate or to illuminate a single cuvette cell. Similarly, multiple optical fibers are coupled to the detector subassembly. In another aspect, the excitation light and the detected sample emissions pass to and from an optical head assembly via a pair of optical fibers. The optical head assembly is scanned across one axis of the sample multi-assay plate. The multi-assay plate is mounted to a carriage assembly that scans the plate along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. In another aspect, an optical scanning head assembly is used that includes mirrored optics for coupling the excitation source to the sample and the emitted light to the detector.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A sample characterizing instrument, comprising:

a source of excitation light comprising:
a lamp;
a first scanning monochromator;
and
a plurality of bandpass filters within a first filter wheel, wherein a bandpass associated with each of said plurality of bandpass filters is between about 10 and about 100 nanometers;
a sample testing region;
a detection assembly comprising:
a detector;
a second scanning monochromator;
and
a plurality of optical filters within a second filter wheel;
an optical assembly coupled to said excitation light source and coupled to said detection assembly, wherein said optical assembly directs said excitation light to said sample testing region, and wherein said optical assembly directs sample light from said sample testing region to said detection assembly;
a carriage assembly coupled to said optical assembly and to said sample testing region, said carriage assembly controlling the relative movement of said sample testing region and said optical assembly to provide scanning of at least a portion of said sample testing region;
and
a processor coupled to said carriage assembly, said excitation light source, and said detection assembly, wherein said processor controls said scanning of said carriage assembly along a first scanning axis and a second scanning axis, wherein said processor controls an output wavelength of said excitation light source by controlling said lamp, said first scanning monochromator, and said plurality of bandpass filters, and wherein said processor controls a detection wavelength of said detector by controlling said second scanning monochromator and said plurality of optical filters.

12 more elements

A sample characterizing instrument, comprising:

a source of excitation light comprising:
a lamp;
a first scanning monochromator;
and
a second scanning monochromator;
a sample testing region;
a detection assembly comprising:
a detector;
a third scanning monochromator;
and
a first plurality of optical filters within a first filter wheel;
an optical assembly coupled to said excitation light source and coupled to said detection assembly, wherein said optical assembly directs said excitation light to said sample testing region, and wherein said optical assembly directs sample light from said sample testing region to said detection assembly;
a carriage assembly coupled to said optical assembly and to said sample testing region, said carriage assembly controlling the relative movement of said sample testing region and said optical assembly to provide scanning of at least a portion of said sample testing region;
and
a processor coupled to said carriage assembly, said excitation light source, and said detection assembly, wherein said processor controls said scanning of said carriage assembly along a first scanning axis and a second scanning axis, wherein said processor controls an output wavelength of said excitation light source by controlling said lamp, said first scanning monochromator, and said second scanning monochromator, and wherein said processor controls a detection wavelength of said detector by controlling said third scanning monochromator and said plurality of optical filters.

12 more elements

A sample characterizing instrument, comprising:

a source of excitation light comprising:
a lamp;
a first scanning monochromator;
and
a first plurality of optical filters within a first filter wheel;
a sample testing region;
a detection assembly comprising:
a detector;
a second scanning monochromator;
and
a third scanning monochromator;
an optical assembly coupled to said excitation light source and coupled to said detection assembly, wherein said optical assembly directs said excitation light to said sample testing region, and wherein said optical assembly directs sample light from said sample testing region to said detection assembly;
a carriage assembly coupled to said optical assembly and to said sample testing region, said carriage assembly controlling the relative movement of said sample testing region and said optical assembly to provide scanning of at least a portion of said sample testing region;
and
a processor coupled to said carriage assembly, said excitation light source, and said detection assembly, wherein said processor controls said scanning of said carriage assembly along a first scanning axis and a second scanning axis, wherein said processor controls an output wavelength of said excitation light source by controlling said lamp, said first scanning monochromator, and said first plurality of optical filters, and wherein said processor controls a detection wavelength of said detector by controlling said second scanning monochromator and said third scanning monochromator.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical system for a scanning fluorometer

Life of this patent

Optical system for a scanning fluorometer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25