Measuring time dependent fluorescence
First Claim
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1. A method of collecting optical data pertaining to one or more characteristics of a sample, the method comprising:
- scanning a light beam of a first frequency focused onto a sample surface at or near the light beam'"'"'s diffraction limit using one or more illumination optical elements, wherein the scanning is performed in a straight line across the sample surface;
collecting light of a second frequency from a scan line on the sample surface using one or more collection optical elements, wherein none of the one or more collection optical elements are included among the one or more illumination optical elements;
transmitting collected light from the sample to two or more detectors offset from one another with respect to a path for collecting the light, wherein each of the two or more detectors is positioned to capture light being emitted from a different vertical depth of the sample; and
outputting a single non-spatially resolved signal from each detector.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for collecting optical data pertaining to one or more characteristics of a sample. A light beam of a first frequency is scanned onto a sample surface using one or more illumination optical elements. Light of a second frequency is collected from a scan line on the sample surface using one or more collection optical elements. None of the one or more collection optical elements are included among the one or more illumination optical elements. The collected light is transmitted to a detector.
91 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A method of collecting optical data pertaining to one or more characteristics of a sample, the method comprising:
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scanning a light beam of a first frequency focused onto a sample surface at or near the light beam'"'"'s diffraction limit using one or more illumination optical elements, wherein the scanning is performed in a straight line across the sample surface; collecting light of a second frequency from a scan line on the sample surface using one or more collection optical elements, wherein none of the one or more collection optical elements are included among the one or more illumination optical elements; transmitting collected light from the sample to two or more detectors offset from one another with respect to a path for collecting the light, wherein each of the two or more detectors is positioned to capture light being emitted from a different vertical depth of the sample; and outputting a single non-spatially resolved signal from each detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of collecting optical data pertaining to one or more characteristics of a sample, the method comprising:
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scanning a light beam of a first frequency focused onto a sample surface at or near the light beam'"'"'s diffraction limit using one or more illumination optical elements, wherein the scanning is performed in a straight line over a distance of at least 5 millimeters across the sample surface; collecting light of a second frequency from a scan line on the sample surface using one or more collection optical elements, wherein the light is collected through an aperture that limits detection of light from the sample to light associated with a limited vertical depth within the sample; transmitting the collected light to a detector; and outputting a single non-spatially resolved signal from the detector. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 62)
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55. A method of collecting optical data pertaining to one or more characteristics of a sample, the method comprising:
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scanning a light beam focused onto a sample surface at or near the light beam'"'"'s diffraction limit using one or more illumination optical elements, wherein the scanning is performed in a straight line across the sample surface; collecting light from a scan line on the sample surface using one or more collection optical elements, wherein the light is collected through (i) a first device that limits detection of light from the sample to light associated with a first vertical depth within the sample and (ii) a second device that limits detection of light from the sample to light associated with a second, different, vertical depth within the sample; transmitting the collected light from the first and second devices to one or more detectors; and outputting a single non-spatially resolved signal from each detector. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63)
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Specification