Optical interrogation system and method for using same
First Claim
1. An optical interrogation system comprising:
- a light source for outputting a light beams;
a diffractive optic for receiving the light beam and outputting an array of light beams;
a collimating optic for receiving and conditioning the array of light beams and outputting the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array;
wherein said collimating optic is a fiber array that re-conditions the optical character of each light beam emitted from said diffractive optic; and
wherein said fiber array includes a plurality of fibers each of which has one end arranged on a circumference of a sphere and another end connected to a grid.
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Abstract
An optical interrogation system and method are described herein that are capable of generating light beams that have desired optical properties which are directed towards a specimen array. In one embodiment, the optical interrogation system includes a light source, a diffractive element and a collimating optic (e.g., simple lens(es), f-θ lens(es), segmented mirror, fiber array). The light source emits a light beam to the diffractive optic which receives the light beam and outputs an array of light beams to the collimating optic. The collimating optic receives and conditions the light beams emitted from the diffractive optic and then outputs the conditioned light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array. Several other embodiments of the optical interrogation system are also described herein.
70 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An optical interrogation system comprising:
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a light source for outputting a light beams; a diffractive optic for receiving the light beam and outputting an array of light beams; a collimating optic for receiving and conditioning the array of light beams and outputting the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; wherein said collimating optic is a fiber array that re-conditions the optical character of each light beam emitted from said diffractive optic; and wherein said fiber array includes a plurality of fibers each of which has one end arranged on a circumference of a sphere and another end connected to a grid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An optical interrogation system comprising:
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a light source for outputting a light beam; a diffractive optic for receiving the light beam and outputting an array of light beams; a collimating optic for receiving and conditioning the array of light beams and outputting the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; and a mask located between said collimating optic and said specimen array and used to block predetermined conditioned light beams from reaching selected specimens in the specimen array. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An optical interrogation system comprising:
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a light source for outputting a light beam; a diffractive optic for receiving the light beam and outputting an array of light beams; a collimating optic for receiving and conditioning the array of light beams and outputting the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; and a mask located between a detector and said specimen array and used to block predetermined light beams reflected from selected specimens in the specimen array. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23)
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22. An optical interrogation system comprising:
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a light source for outputting a light beam; a diffractive optic for receiving the light beam and outputting an array of light beams; a collimating optic for receiving and conditioning the array of light beams and outputting the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; and a swept angle detection system for receiving an array of light beams reflected from the specimen array.
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24. An optical interrogation system comprising:
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a light source for outputting a light beam; a diffractive optic for receiving the light beam and outputting an array of light beams; a collimating optic for receiving and conditioning the array of light beams and outputting the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; and a swept angle launch system including a rotatable beam deflector located between said light source and said diffractive optic to control the angle of incidence of the light beam directed into said diffractive optic.
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25. A method for interrogating one or more specimens in a specimen array, said method comprising the steps of:
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using a light source to generate a light beam; using a diffractive optic to receive the light beam and output an array of light beams; using a collimating optic to receive and condition the array of light beams and then output the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; wherein said collimating optic is a fiber array that re-conditions the optical character of each light beam emitted from said diffractive optic; and wherein said fiber array includes a plurality of fibers each of which has one end arranged on a circumference of a sphere and another end connected to a grid. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for interrogating one or more specimens in a specimen array, said method comprising the steps of:
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using a light source to generate a light beam; using a diffractive optic to receive the light beam and output an array of light beams; and using a collimating optic to receive and condition the array of light beams and then output the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; and using a mask located between said collimating optic and said specimen array to block predetermined conditioned light beams from reaching selected specimens in the specimen array. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for interrogating one or more specimens in a specimen array, said method comprising the steps of:
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using a light source to generate a light beam; using a diffractive optic to receive the light beam and output an array of light beams; and using a collimating optic to receive and condition the array of light beams and then output the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; and using a mask located between a detector and said specimen array to block predetermined light beams reflected from selected specimens in the specimen array. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for interrogating one or more specimens in a specimen array, said method comprising the steps of:
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using a light source to generate a light beam; using a diffractive optic to receive the light beam and output an array of light beams; using a collimating optic to receive and condition the array of light beams and then output the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; and using a swept angle detection system to receive an array of light beams reflected from the specimen array. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A method for interrogating one or more specimens in a specimen array, said method comprising the steps of:
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using a light source to generate a light beam; using a diffractive optic to receive the light beam and output an array of light beams; using a collimating optic to receive and condition the array of light beams and then output the conditioned array of light beams which have desired optical properties towards a specimen array; and using a swept angle launch system including a rotatable or acousto-optical beam deflector located between said light source and said diffractive optic to control the angle of incidence of the light beam directed into said diffractive optic.
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Specification