Optical instrument including excitation source

An instrument comprising:

• a thermal cycler;
• a plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions connected to the thermal cycler;
• a solid state laser source comprising more than one solid state laser and a body, wherein the more than one solid state laser is secured in the body, the body comprises a body lens, the more than one solid state laser directs light through the body lens to form an area light excitation beam, the solid state laser source is adapted to illuminate at least two of the plurality of reaction regions simultaneously with the area light excitation beam, and there is a correspondence of one to at least two between the more than one solid state laser and the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions;
• a lens disposed along an excitation beam path between the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions and the solid state laser source;
• and
• a detector disposed along an emission beam path and positioned to detect emission beams emitted from the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions;
• wherein the lens is disposed along the emission beam pat between the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions and the detector.

An instrument comprising:

• a thermal cycler;
• a plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions connected to the thermal cycler;
• a laser source comprising more than one laser and a body, wherein the more than one laser is secured in the body, the body comprises a body lens, the more than one laser directs light through the body lens to form an area light excitation beam, the laser source is adapted to illuminate at least two of the plurality of reaction regions simultaneously with the area light excitation beam and there is a correspondence of one to at least two between the more than one laser and the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions;
• a lens disposed along an excitation beam path between the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions and the laser source;
• and
• a detector disposed along an emission beam path and positioned to detect emission beams emitted from the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions;
• wherein the lens is disposed along the emission beam path between the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions and the detector.

A method of illuminating a plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions with an area light excitation beam, the method comprising:

• connecting the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions to a thermal cycler;
• providing a light emitting diode source comprising more than one light emitting diode and a body, wherein the more than one light emitting diode is secured in the body, the body comprises a body lens, the more than one light emitting diode directs light through the body lens to form an area light excitation beam, and there is a correspondence of one to at least two between the more than one light emitting diode and the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions;
• generating an area light excitation beam with the light emitting diode source;
• thermally cycling the contents of the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions;
• passing the area light excitation beam through a first focusing lens to simultaneously focus the area light excitation beam into at least two of the plurality of reaction regions during the thermally cycling;
• generating emission beams in the at least two of the plurality of reaction regions;
• and
• passing the emission beams through the first focusing lens and to a detector, wherein the first focusing lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the plurality of reaction regions and the detector.

A method of illuminating a plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions with an area light excitation beam, the method comprising:

• connecting the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions to a thermal cycler;
• providing a solid state laser source comprising more than one solid state laser and a body, wherein the more than one solid state laser is secured in the body, the body comprises a body lens, and the more than one solid state laser directs light through the body lens to form an area light excitation beam;
• generating an area light excitation beam with the solid state laser source;
• thermally cycling the contents of the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions;
• passing the area light excitation been through a focusing lens to simultaneously focus the area light excitation beam into at least two of the plurality of reaction regions during the thermally cycling;
• generating emission beams in the at least two of the plurality of reaction regions;
• and
• passing the emission beams through the focusing lens and to a detector, wherein the focusing lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the detector and the plurality of reaction regions.

A method of illuminating a plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions with an area light excitation beam, the method comprising:

• connecting the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions to a thermal cycler;
• providing a laser source comprising more than one laser and a body, wherein the more than one laser is secured in the body, the body comprises a body lens, and the more than one laser directs light through the body lens to form an area light excitation beam;
• generating an area light excitation beam with the laser source;
• thermally cycling the contents of the plurality of spaced-apart reaction regions;
• passing the area light excitation beam through a focusing lens to simultaneously focus the area light excitation beam into at least two of the plurality of reaction regions during the thermally cycling;
• generating emission beams in the at least two of the plurality of reaction regions;
• and
• passing the emission beams through the focusing lens and to a detector, wherein the focusing lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the detector and the plurality of reaction regions.