Method and apparatus for imaging a sample on a device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for imaging a sample located on a support, said apparatus comprising:
- a body for immobilizing said support, said support comprising at least a first surface having said sample thereon;
an electromagnetic radiation source for generating excitation radiation having a first wavelength;
excitation optics for transforming the geometry of said excitation radiation to a line and directing said line at said sample for exciting a plurality of regions thereon, said line causing a labeled material on said sample to emit response radiation, said response radiation having a second wavelength, said first wavelength different from said second wavelength;
collection optics for collecting said response radiation from said plurality of regions;
a detector for sensing said response radiation received by said collection optics, said detector generating a signal proportional to the amount of radiation sensed thereon, said signal representing an image associated with said plurality of regions from said sample;
a translator coupled to said body for allowing a subsequent plurality of regions on said sample to be excited;
a processor for processing and storing said signal so as to generate a 2-dimensional image of said sample; and
a focuser for automatically focusing said sample in a focal plane of said excitation radiation.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Labeled targets on a support synthesized with polymer sequences at known locations according to the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854 and PCT WO 92/10092 or others, can be detected by exposing selected regions of sample 1500 to radiation from a source 1100 and detecting the emission therefrom, and repeating the steps of exposition and detection until the sample is completely examined.
-
Citations
41 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for imaging a sample located on a support, said apparatus comprising:
-
a body for immobilizing said support, said support comprising at least a first surface having said sample thereon;
an electromagnetic radiation source for generating excitation radiation having a first wavelength;
excitation optics for transforming the geometry of said excitation radiation to a line and directing said line at said sample for exciting a plurality of regions thereon, said line causing a labeled material on said sample to emit response radiation, said response radiation having a second wavelength, said first wavelength different from said second wavelength;
collection optics for collecting said response radiation from said plurality of regions;
a detector for sensing said response radiation received by said collection optics, said detector generating a signal proportional to the amount of radiation sensed thereon, said signal representing an image associated with said plurality of regions from said sample;
a translator coupled to said body for allowing a subsequent plurality of regions on said sample to be excited;
a processor for processing and storing said signal so as to generate a 2-dimensional image of said sample; and
a focuser for automatically focusing said sample in a focal plane of said excitation radiation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said temperature controller comprises a thermoelectric cooler.
-
25. A method for imaging a sample located on a support, said method comprising the steps of:
-
immobilizing said support on a body;
exciting said sample on said support with an excitation radiation having a first wavelength from an electromagnetic radiation source, said excitation radiation having a linear geometry for exciting a plurality of regions on said sample;
detecting a response radiation having a second wavelength in response to said excitation radiation, said response radiation representing an image of said plurality of regions;
exciting a subsequent plurality of regions on said sample;
processing and storing said response radiation to generate a 2-dimensional image of said sample; and
auto-focusing said sample in a focal plane of said excitation radiation.
-
-
37. In a imaging system for imaging a sample on a support having a first surface and a second surface, said second surface being weakly reflective relative to said first surface, a method for focusing on said weakly reflective surface comprising the steps of:
-
a) focusing s first surface;
b) focusing said second surface; and
c) finely focusing, said second surface.
-
Specification