Spectrophotometer
First Claim
1. A spectrophotometer comprising:
- an optical system for directing a beam of substantially monochromatic light into a liquid sample in a well, the optical system comprising;
a first aperture and a second aperture and focussing means forming conjugate images of the first and the second apertures outside of the well to establish therebetween a beam region of monochromatic light, wherein the first and second apertures are sized and shaped for said beam region to have a shape that is similar to the internal shape of the well; and
imaging means imaging said region of the beam to a size corresponding to the internal size of the well at the well for the imaged said region of the beam of monochromatic light to illuminate substantially all of the liquid sample in the well without the well obstructing any portion of the imaged said region of the beam.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spectrophotometer having an optical system for directing a beam of substantially monochromatic excitation light to a liquid sample contained in a well (3) of a well plate for interaction with the sample for absorption or emission measurements to analyse the sample. The optical system includes two apertures (46, 28) for establishing a Kohler illumination region outside the well, that is an excitation beam region between conjugate images (18, 21) of the two apertures. This excitation beam region is then demagnified and imaged (10, 9) into the well (3). The invention provides for the shape of the Kohler illumination region to correspond to the shape of the well space so that all of the liquid sample is uniformly illuminated without the well obstructing any portion of the illuminating excitation beam of light. Advantages of the invention are that the Kohler illumination region of the excitation beam is convenient for insertion of filters (20), apertures and polarisers (19) into the excitation optical system and permits use of small and thus cheaper filters and polarisers. Also the invention provides for accurate absorption or emission measurements from a liquid sample in a well notwithstanding that the sample may only partially fill the well.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A spectrophotometer comprising:
an optical system for directing a beam of substantially monochromatic light into a liquid sample in a well, the optical system comprising;
a first aperture and a second aperture and focussing means forming conjugate images of the first and the second apertures outside of the well to establish therebetween a beam region of monochromatic light, wherein the first and second apertures are sized and shaped for said beam region to have a shape that is similar to the internal shape of the well; and
imaging means imaging said region of the beam to a size corresponding to the internal size of the well at the well for the imaged said region of the beam of monochromatic light to illuminate substantially all of the liquid sample in the well without the well obstructing any portion of the imaged said region of the beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A spectrophotometer comprising:
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a light source;
a sample position;
an optical system directing a beam of substantially monochromatic light derived from the light source to a liquid sample when contained in a well when located at the sample position, the well having an internal shape, the optical system comprising;
(i) an entrance aperture, through which the beam of substantially monochromatic light is derived, followed by a second aperture associated with means providing the substantially monochromatic light, (ii) focussing means providing conjugate images of the entrance and second apertures whereby there is established between the conjugate images a region of the beam of substantially monochromatic light that has a particular shape as determined by the shape and size of the conjugate images, and (iii) imaging means demagnifying and imaging the region of the beam of light of particular shape into the well for interaction with the liquid sample therein, wherein the particular shape of the region of the beam of light corresponds with the internal shape of the well for substantially all of the liquid sample to be uniformly illuminated without the well obstructing any portion of the beam of light; and
a detection system detecting light from the liquid sample after interaction of the substantially monochromatic beam of light therewith.
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12. A spectrophotometer comprising:
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a light source;
a sample position;
an excitation optical system directing a beam of substantially monochromatic light derived from the light source to a liquid sample when contained in a well when located at the sample position; and
an emission optical system and a detector, the emission optical system directing light emitted from the liquid sample after interaction of the beam of substantially monochromatic light therewith to the detector, the emission optical system comprising;
(i) imaging means providing an image of the bottom surface of the well and an image of the top surface of the liquid sample in the well whereby there is established outside of the well and between the images a region of the emitted light having a shape that is similar to the internal shape of the well, (ii) focussing means and means providing substantially monochromatic light from the emission light, the focussing means focussing the region of emitted light of similar shape onto the means providing substantially monochromatic light, the detector arranged to detect the substantially monochromatic emission light from the means for providing such light. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification