System and method for cross-talk cancellation in a multilane fluorescence detector

A method for reducing cross-talk in a multi-channel data acquisition system, which system includes at least a multi-channel photodetector, comprising:

• determining a cross-talk matrix for the system;
• operating the system to detect data, and applying the cross-talk matrix to the detected data to reduce or remove channel cross-talk in the detected data;
• wherein each channel of said multi-channel system detects and distinguishes fluorescence in more than one spectral band;
• wherein the cross-talk reduction is individually performed for each of the spectral bands.

A method for reducing cross-talk in a multi-channel data acquisition system, which system includes at least a multi-channel photodetector, comprising:

• determining a cross-talk matrix for the system:
• operating the system to detect data, and applying the cross-talk matrix to the detected data to reduce or remove channel cross-talk in the detected data;
• wherein each channel of said multi-channel system detects and distinguishes fluorescence in more than one spectral band;
• wherein the cross-talk reduction is individually performed for each of the spectral bands;
• wherein the cross-talk reduction is followed by color de-convolution of said fluorescence.

A system for reducing cross-talk in multi-channel data acquisition, comprising:

• a multi-channel photodetector;
• a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor and containing instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to perform steps comprising:
• determining a cross-talk matrix;
• operating the system to detect data, and applying the cross-talk matrix to the detected data to reduce both optical and electrical cross-talk in the detected data.

A system for multi-capillary data acquisition comprising;

• a light source;
• at least one multi capillary array positioned to receive light from the light source and filled with a material which produces a useful radiation caused by illumination with said light source;
• a device for separating and identifying more than one spectral band of said useful radiation;
• a multi channel photodetector positioned to receive said useful radiation from the multi capillary array;
• a processor configured to receive data originating from the photodetector and a memory coupled to the processor and containing instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to perform steps comprising:
• determining a cross-talk matrix;
• operating the system to detect fluorescence data, and applying the cross-talk matrix to the fluorescence data to reduce both optical and electrical cross-talk in the fluorescence data.

A method for determining a cross-talk matrix for a multi-capillary data acquisition system, comprising:

• applying an input sample to a first capillary;
• detecting fluorescence at a first channel which corresponds to the first capillary and at least a second channel;
• recording the detected fluorescence data;
• processing the recorded data from the first and the second channels to determine what fraction of the fluorescence from the input sample was received by the first channel and what fraction of the fluorescence from the input sample was received by the second channel, and recording the determined fractions in a column of the cross-talk matrix.