Light measuring device avoiding influence of fluorescence or phosphorescence of lenses and filters in optical path

• US 6,839,134 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.), Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Koichi, Takahashi, Satoshi, Saito, Michihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANS, FANNIE L
• Application Number:
  US10/255,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20030133107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 356/317, 356/318, 356/417, 250/458.1, 250/459.1, 250/461.1, 250/461.2, 436/172, 422/82.08
• US Class Current: 356/317
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/08 Beam switching arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/4406 Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates

Abstract

At the time of analytical measurement of a sample by the fluorescence measuring device or the phosphorescence measuring device, both the optical path of exciting light emitted from the light source to the sample and the optical path of fluorescence or phosphorescence emitted from the sample to the detection unit are shut off. Both are shut off by one chopper.

Claims

1. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device comprising:

a light source;

an optical system for selecting, taking out, and directing light with a wavelength necessary for measurement from light emitted from said light source;

a detector of fluorescence or phosphorescence generated from a sample irradiated by said measurement light (selected, taken out, and directed by said optical system);

an optical path shielding mechanism arranged to temporarily block a first optical path between said light source and said sample, and to temporarily block a second optical path between said sample and said detector; and

a first concave mirror installed in said first optical path between said optical path shielding mechanism and said sample, and a second concave mirror installed in said second optical path between said sample and said optical path shielding mechanism, no lens or filter emitting fluorescence or phosphorescence by irradiation of exciting light from said light source being installed in said first optical path between said optical path shielding mechanism and said sample or in said second optical path between said sample and said optical path shielding mechanism.

2. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device according to claim 1, wherein

said light source is a light source continuously kept on, and said optical path shielding mechanism between said sample to be measured and said detector operates so as to shield said second optical path in a time zone that said light from said light source enters said sample to be measured, and

said optical path shielding mechanism between said light source and said sample to be measured operates so as to shut off said first optical path in a time zone that said fluorescence or phosphorescence emitted from said sample to be measured enters said detector.

3. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device according to claim 1, wherein said light source is a light source for generating a pulse.

4. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device according to claim 1, wherein said optical path shielding mechanism includes a generally circular light shielding plate and installs a slit part for passing light through said first optical path between said light source and said sample to be measured, and a light shielding part for shielding light on said second optical path between said sample to be measured and said detector, said slit part and light shielding part being paired on said light shielding plate.

5. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device according to claim 4, wherein said pair of slit part and light shielding part are installed almost in a radial direction of said light shielding plate and positioned in different places in said radial direction.

6. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device according to claim 1, wherein at a time of measurement of fluorescence or phosphorescence, both of said first and second optical paths are blocked by said optical path shielding mechanism, and

wherein said optical path shielding mechanism is a single light shielding plate.

7. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device according to claim 1, wherein said optical path shielding mechanism is a single light shielding plate.

8. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second concave mirrors are opposed to each other.

9. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device according to claim 8, wherein said optical path shielding mechanism is a single light shielding plate.

10. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device comprising:

a light source;

an optical system for selecting, taking out, and directing light with a wavelength necessary for measurement from light emitted from said light source;

a detector of fluorescence or phosphorescence generated from a sample irradiated by said measurement light (selected, taken out, and directed by said optical system);

an optical path shielding mechanism arranged to temporarily block a first optical path between said light source and said sample, and to temporarily block a second optical path between said sample and said detector; and

a mirror installed in said first optical path between said optical path shielding mechanism and said sample, no lens or filter emitting fluorescence or phosphorescence by irradiation of exciting light from said light source being installed in said first optical path between said optical path shielding mechanism and said sample or in said second optical path between said sample and said optical path shielding mechanism.

11. A fluorescence and phosphorescence measuring device according to claim 10, wherein said mirror is a concave mirror.