Electrophoresis apparatus

An electrophoresis apparatus comprising a planar plate formed therein with a channel for electrophoretic separation and with at least one optical lens, filter or grating component, light irradiating means for irradiating an excitation beam into a detection part formed in a part of the channel, fluorescent detecting means for detecting a degree of fluorescence which is generated from a sample by the excitation beam, the channel being a capillary channel having a top surface and a bottom surface which are parallel with a surface of the planar plate, and left and right side wall surfaces, a first incoming window formed in one of side wall surfaces of the capillary channel, for introducing the excitation beam into the channel, a second incoming window formed on a surface of the planar plate at a position which is opposed to the first incoming window, for introducing an excitation beam into the planar plate, an excitation transmission path formed between the first and second incoming windows, a first outgoing window formed in the bottom surface of the channel, for emitting fluorescence from the sample, and a second outgoing window formed in a surface of the planar plate at a position opposed to the first outgoing window, for emitting the fluorescence outside of the planar plate, and a fluorescent transmission path between the first outgoing window and the second outgoing window,

• wherein the planar plate has the channel, the at least one lens, filter or grating optical component, the first incoming window, the second incoming window, the excitation transmission path, the first outgoing window, the second outgoing window and the fluorescent transmission path, all integrally-molded therein.

An electrophoresis apparatus comprising a planar plate formed therein with a channel for electrophoretic separation, light irradiating means for irradiating an excitation beam into a detection part formed in a part of the channel, fluorescent detecting means for detecting a degree of fluorescence which is generated from a sample by the excitation beam, the channel having a cross-sectional shape and being composed of a top surface and a bottom surface which are parallel with a surface of the planar plate, and left and right side wall surfaces, a first flat and smooth incoming window formed in the bottom surface of the channel, a second flat and smooth incoming window formed on a surface of the planar plate at a position which is opposed to the first incoming window, for introducing an excitation beam into the planar plate, an excitation transmission path formed between the first and second incoming windows, a first flat and smooth outgoing window formed in one of side wall surfaces of the channel, for emitting fluorescence from the sample, and a second flat and smooth outgoing window formed in a surface of the planar plate at a position opposed to the first outgoing window, for emitting the fluorescence outside of the planar plate, and a fluorescent transmission path between the first outgoing window and the second outgoing window;

• wherein a plurality of planar plates, each of which corresponds to said planar plate, are stacked one upon another so that channels in said plurality of planar plates are overlapped with one another, light irradiating means is provided at a position where a single excitation beam from said light irradiating means can be led through the channels in the planar plates layered one upon another, and said fluorescent detecting means is provided at positions in extension of outgoing windows formed in side surfaces of said planar plates stacked one upon another.

An electrophoresis apparatus comprising a planar plate formed therein with a channel for electrophoretic separation, light irradiating means for irradiating an excitation beam into a detection part formed in a part of the channel, fluorescent detecting means for detecting a degree of fluorescence which is generated from a sample by the excitation beam, the channel being a capillary channel having a top surface and a bottom surface which are parallel with a surface of the planar plate, and left and right side wall surfaces, a first incoming window formed in one of side wall surfaces of the capillary channel, for introducing the excitation beam into the channel, a second incoming window formed on a surface of the planar plate at a position which is opposed to the first incoming window, for introducing an excitation beam into the planar plate, an excitation transmission path formed between the first and second incoming windows, a first outgoing window formed in the bottom surface of the channel, for emitting fluorescence from the sample, and a second outgoing window formed in a surface of the planar plate at a position opposed to the first outgoing window, for emitting the fluorescence outside of the planar plate, and a fluorescent transmission path between the first outgoing window and the second outgoing window;

• wherein a plurality of planar plates, each of which corresponds to said planar plate, are stacked one upon another so that channels in said plurality of planar plates are overlapped with one another, light irradiating means is provided at a position where a single excitation beam from said light irradiating means can be led through the channels in the planar plates layered one upon another, and said fluorescent detecting means is provided at positions in extension of outgoing windows formed in side surfaces of said planar plates stacked one upon another.