Optical device integrated with well

• US 20050110989A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PerkinElmer LAS, Inc. (Perkinelmer Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: PerkinElmer LAS, Inc. (Perkinelmer Incorporated)
• Inventors: Candiloro, Carl B., Schermer, Mack J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0382 Frustoconical, tapered cell
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/43 by measuring critical angle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/45 using interferometric methods; using Schlieren methods
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/553 and using surface plasmons fluorescence excitation G01N21/648; enhanced Raman G01N21/658

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed that include an optical device for providing information about one or more samples. The system includes well(s) for holding the sample(s), and in one embodiment, the optical device(s) have non-parallel sidewalls optically contacting the well(s) for providing the information about the sample(s) in the well(s). In some embodiments the optical devices may be truncated prism(s). In some embodiments the optical devices are part of a unibody structure with the well(s).

Claims

1. An optical device for providing information about a plurality of samples, comprising:

a structure including a plurality of wells for holding the plurality of samples; and

at least one optical device having non-parallel sidewalls optically contacting said plurality of wells for providing the information about the plurality of samples in said plurality of wells.

2. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said structure comprises a microplate.

3. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said optical device includes a measuring surface forming a bottom surface of said wells.

4. A device as recited in claim 3, wherein said bottom surface includes a coating.

5. A device as recited in claim 4, wherein said coating includes a polymeric layer.

6. A device as recited in claim 4, wherein said coating includes a metal layer.

7. A device as recited in claim 6, wherein said coating includes a polymeric layer on said metal layer.

8. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said optical device comprises a truncated prism.

9. A device as recited in claim 8, wherein said truncated prism comprises an irregular trapezoid prism.

10. A device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said optical devices, wherein one of said optical devices optically contacts each said well of said structure.

11. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said structure includes n wells arranged in a two dimensional array wherein one of said optical devices optically contacts an integer factor of said n wells.

12. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of wells and said at least one optical device are integral parts of a unibody construction.

13. A device as recited in claim 12, wherein said unibody construction is fabricated of a polymeric material.

14. A device as recited in claim 12, wherein said polymeric material includes at least one from the group including polystyrene, polycarbonate, polysulfone, and polymethylmethacrylate.

15. A device as recited in claim 13, wherein said unibody construction is fabricated from an injection molded polymeric material.

16. A device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a light source and a detector.

17. A device as recited in claim 16, further comprising a plurality of light sources and detectors arranged for measuring a well of said structure.

18. A device as recited in claim 16, wherein said light source includes at least one from the group including a laser, an LED, an SLD, and a bulb.

19. A device as recited in claim 16, wherein said detector includes a CCD or a CMOS array.

20. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said sidewalls are substantially planar.

21. An optical device for providing information about a plurality of samples, comprising a unibody construction including:

a plurality of wells for holding the plurality of samples; and

at least one non-planar optical device integrally connected with said plurality of wells in said unibody construction for providing the information about the plurality of samples in said plurality of wells.

22. A device as recited in claim 21, wherein said unibody construction comprises a microplate.

23. A device as recited in claim 21, wherein said wells include a bottom surface having a coating.

24. A device as recited in claim 23, wherein said coating includes a polymeric layer.

25. A device as recited in claim 23, wherein said coating includes a metal layer.

26. A device as recited in claim 25, wherein said coating includes a polymeric layer on said metal layer.

27. A device as recited in claim 21, wherein said optical device comprises a truncated prism.

28. A device as recited in claim 27, wherein said truncated prism comprises an irregular trapezoid prism.

29. A device as recited in claim 21, further comprising a plurality of said optical devices, wherein a single one of said optical devices is integrally connected with only one well of said construction.

30. A device as recited in claim 21, wherein said unibody construction includes n wells arranged in a two dimensional array wherein said at least one optical device is integrally connected to an integer factor of said n wells.

31. A device as recited in claim 21, wherein said unibody construction is fabricated of a polymeric material.

32. A device as recited in claim 31, wherein said polymeric material includes at least one from the group including polystyrene polycarbonate, polysulfone, and polymethylmethacrylate.

33. A device as recited in claim 31, wherein said unibody construction is fabricated from an injection molded polymeric material.

34. A device as recited in claim 21, further comprising a light source and a detector.

35. A device as recited in claim 24, further comprising a plurality of light sources and detectors arranged for measuring a well of said unibody construction.

36. A device as recited in claim 34, wherein said light source includes at least one from the group including a laser, an LED, an SLD, and a bulb.

37. A device as recited in claim 34, wherein said detector includes a CCD or a CMOS array.

38. A device as recited in claim 34, wherein said light source and said detector are moveable with respect to said unibody construction for sequentially measuring samples in different wells of said unibody construction.

39. A method of measuring an optical property of a material, the method comprising:

a. providing a structure and at least one optical device, said structure including a plurality of wells, each for holding a material, said at least one optical device having a first facet, a second facet, and a third facet, said second facet extending between said first facet and said third facet, said first facet non-parallel with said third facet, said second facet optically contacting at least one of said plurality of wells;

b. providing the material in at least one of said wells;

c. shining light on said at least one well through said first facet to provide total internal reflection from said second facet;

d. receiving said totally internally reflected light through said third facet at a detector; and

e. determining information about the material in said at least one well from said light received by said detector.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, further comprising providing a metal layer on said second facet.

41. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein said information includes a change in an optical property resulting from a binding assay.

42. A method of measuring an optical property of a material, the method comprising:

a. providing a unibody construction including a plurality of wells and at least one non-planar optical device, each of said plurality of wells for holding a material, said at least one non-planar optical device having a facet integrally connected with at least one of said plurality of wells in said unibody construction;

b. providing the material in at least one said well;

c. shining light on said well so as to strike said facet;

d. receiving light derived from said well at a detector; and

e. determining information about the material in said well from said light received at said detector.

43. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said unibody construction comprises a microplate.

44. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein in said optical device includes a prism.

45. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein in said optical device includes a truncated prism.

46. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said determining information includes determining a change in an optical property resulting from a binding assay.

47. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said determining information includes determining at least one of whether a reaction has occurred in the material and the extent of reaction in the material.

48. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said determining includes determining at least one of a critical angle and a property related to a critical angle.

49. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said determining includes determining at least one of an index of refraction, a change in an index of refraction, a property related to an index of refraction, and a property related to a change in an index of refraction.

50. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said facet includes a coating.

51. A method as recited in claim 50, wherein said coating includes thin metal.

52. A method as recited in claim 51, wherein said determining includes using SPR.

53. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said shining includes shining said light on at least one of said wells before shining light on another of said wells.

54. A method as recited in claim 53, wherein said receiving includes receiving said light from at least one of said wells before receiving light from another of said wells.

55. A method of processing an image, the method comprising:

a. providing laser illumination to form an image;

b. transforming said image to a frequency domain;

c. removing high frequency components; and

d. transforming said frequency domain information back to an image.

56. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein said transforming comprises DCT.

57. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein said image comprises a refractometry image.

58. A method as recited in claim 57, further comprising analyzing said refractometry image to determine information about a sample in a well.

59. A method as recited in claim 58, wherein said well is part of a microplate.

60. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein said image comprises an interferometry image.

61. An optical device for providing information about a plurality of samples, comprising:

a structure comprising a plurality of wells for holding the plurality of samples;

at least one optical device contacting said plurality of wells for providing the information about the plurality of samples in said plurality of wells; and

a reading instrument including components for reading from a prism optical device and components for reading from a grating/waveguide optical device.

62. A device for measuring a sample comprising a well and a truncated prism, said well for holding the sample, said truncated prism optically contacting said well.