Optical detection device for analytical measurement of chemical substances
First Claim
1. An optical detection device for analytical measurements of a substance, comprising a sample container for the substance, a fluorescence changer, a light source for emitting an excitation light, a photoelectric sensor for sensing an emission light coming from the fluorescence changer, an excitation light guide which substantially guides the excitation light emitted by the light source in such a manner that it meets at least part of the fluorescence changer, and an emission light guide which substantially guides the light emitted by the fluorescence changer in such a manner that it meets the photoelectric sensor, at least the excitation light guide comprising a material that has a refractive index gradient substantially perpendicular to the principal direction of propagation of the light in the light guide, wherein the excitation light guide is connected to the emission light guide in such a manner that the two light guides substantially form a structural unit having an end face facing the fluorescence changer, the end face physically corresponding substantially to a boundary surface of one of the two light guides, and the end face substantially forming both an optical emergence surface for the light passing from the light source through the excitation light guide and an optical entry surface for the emission light coming from the fluorescence changer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In the optical detection device (1), the excitation light guide (11) and the emission light guide (12) form a structural unit having the end face (14) facing the fluorescence changer (4). The end face (14) physically corresponds substantially to one of the boundary surfaces of the two light guides (11, 12). As a result, the detection device (1) can be separated in a simple manner into an optical part and a mechanical part which are in optical contact only by way of the end face (14). All of the elements in the optical light path are connected in a mechanically stable manner by means of the index-matching medium 20, as a result of which the light between the light source (10) and the photoelectric sensor (13) propagates only in media having a comparable refractive index. The light source (10) is preferably a light-emitting diode. A plurality of those detection devices can be combined to form a compact detection apparatus with which the substance (3) can be examined with regard to several constituents in one measuring operation.
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Citations
19 Claims
- 1. An optical detection device for analytical measurements of a substance, comprising a sample container for the substance, a fluorescence changer, a light source for emitting an excitation light, a photoelectric sensor for sensing an emission light coming from the fluorescence changer, an excitation light guide which substantially guides the excitation light emitted by the light source in such a manner that it meets at least part of the fluorescence changer, and an emission light guide which substantially guides the light emitted by the fluorescence changer in such a manner that it meets the photoelectric sensor, at least the excitation light guide comprising a material that has a refractive index gradient substantially perpendicular to the principal direction of propagation of the light in the light guide, wherein the excitation light guide is connected to the emission light guide in such a manner that the two light guides substantially form a structural unit having an end face facing the fluorescence changer, the end face physically corresponding substantially to a boundary surface of one of the two light guides, and the end face substantially forming both an optical emergence surface for the light passing from the light source through the excitation light guide and an optical entry surface for the emission light coming from the fluorescence changer.
Specification