Spectral volume microprobe arrays
First Claim
1. A method for determining a characteristic of a biological sample, the method comprising the steps of:
- sequentially illuminating plurality of volume elements in a sample with an optical assembly comprising a sheath that is adapted to direct illuminating electromagnetic radiation into the sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;
sequentially collecting, with said optical assembly, emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops the dimensions of which are large compared to a quotient formed by division of a wavelength of said emanating electromagnetic radiation by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly; and
, detecting the emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements to produce a response representative of a characteristic of each of said volume elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a characteristic of a sample of a material by the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the sample. The apparatus includes a source of electromagnetic radiation, an optical assembly and a detector. The optical assembly sequentially illuminates a plurality of volume elements in the sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path and collects electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of the volume elements. The optical assembly collects the electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of the volume elements with a collected distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path. The first and second regions at least partially overlap in each of the volume elements. The detector detects the collected electromagnetic radiation emanating from each of the sequentially illuminated volume elements to produce responses representative of the characteristic in each of the volume elements.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for determining a characteristic of a biological sample, the method comprising the steps of:
- sequentially illuminating plurality of volume elements in a sample with an optical assembly comprising a sheath that is adapted to direct illuminating electromagnetic radiation into the sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;
sequentially collecting, with said optical assembly, emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops the dimensions of which are large compared to a quotient formed by division of a wavelength of said emanating electromagnetic radiation by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly; and
,detecting the emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements to produce a response representative of a characteristic of each of said volume elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- sequentially illuminating plurality of volume elements in a sample with an optical assembly comprising a sheath that is adapted to direct illuminating electromagnetic radiation into the sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;
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19. An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a biological sample, the apparatus comprising:
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a source of electromagnetic radiation;
illuminating optics for sequentially illuminating a plurality of volume elements in a biological sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;
collecting optics for collecting emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said illuminating and collecting optics each having respective field stops the dimensions of which are large compared to a quotient formed by division of a wavelength of said emanating electromagnetic radiation by a working numerical aperture of said illumninating and collecting optics, respectively;
a detector for detecting the emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements to produce a response representative of a biological characteristic of each of said volume elements; and
,a housing that is adapted to direct illuminating electromagnetic radiation from said illuminating optics into the biological. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a biological sample, the apparatus comprising:
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a source of electromagnetic radiation;
an optical assembly for a) sequentially illuminating a plurality of volume elements in a biological sample with an intensity distribution in the sample that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path and b) collecting emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops whose dimensions are large compared to a quotient formed by division of a wavelength of said emanating electromagnetic radiation by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly;
a detector for detecting the emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements to produce a response representative of a biological characteristic of each of said volume elements; and
,a housing that is adapted to direct illuminating electromagnetic radiation from said optical assembly into the biological sample. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method for diagnosing a biological characteristic of a tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an optical assembly that is adapted to direct an optical signal to a biological tissue;
providing a sheath capable of transmitting the optical signal;
positioning the sheath on the optical assembly so that the sheath is interposed between the optical assembly and the biological tissue;
sequentially illuminating, with the optical assembly, a plurality of volume elements in the biological tissue by directing electromagnetic radiation into the biological tissue with an intensity distribution in the biological tissue that drops off substantially monotonically from a first region in a first optical path;
sequentially collecting, with said optical assembly, emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements with a collection distribution that drops off substantially monotonically from a second region in a second optical path, said first and second regions at least partially overlapping in each of said volume elements, said optical assembly comprising at least one array of field stops whose dimensions are large compared to a quotient formed by division of a wavelength of said electromagnetic radiation by a working numerical aperture of said optical assembly; and
,detecting the emanating electromagnetic radiation from each of said volume elements to produce a response representative of a biological characteristic of each of said volume elements. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification