Bioanalytical instrumentation using a light source subsystem
First Claim
1. An illumination system for illuminating a plurality of separate detection volumes simultaneously, the illumination system comprising:
- a light pipe in the form of a length of tube, rod, or fiber having a first end and a second end,an excitation source which provides excitation light wherein the excitation source is optically coupled to the light pipe to provide excitation light along the length of the tube, rod, or fiber, anda luminescent material in the light pipe which absorbs the excitation light and, in response generates and emits luminescent light by spontaneous emission through the first end of the tube, rod, or fiber, wherein the luminescent light emitted from the light pipe is of sufficient power to illuminate said plurality of separate detection volumes simultaneously;
a mirror coupled to the second end of the tube, rod, or fiber to reflect luminescence toward the first end of the tube, rod, or fiber, andcoupling optics including an optical receiving element and a plurality of optical distribution elements,wherein said optical receiving element receives said luminescent light emitted from the light pipe and transmits said luminescent light to all of said plurality of optical distribution elements simultaneously, andwherein each of said plurality of optical distribution elements receives said luminescent light and transmits said luminescent light to a separate one of said plurality of separate detection volumes,whereby all of said plurality of separate detection volumes are illuminated simultaneously with said luminescent light emitted from said light pipe.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a light source for irradiating molecules present in a detection volume with one or more selected wavelengths of light and directing the fluorescence, absorbance, transmittance, scattering onto one or more detectors. Molecular interactions with the light allow for the identification and quantitation of participating chemical moieties in reactions utilizing physical or chemical tags, most typically fluorescent and chromophore labels. The invention can also use the light source to separately and simultaneously irradiate a plurality of capillaries or other flow confining structures with one or more selected wavelengths of light and separately and simultaneously detect fluorescence produced within the capillaries or other flow confining structures. In various embodiments, the flow confining structures can allow separation or transportation of molecules and include capillary, micro bore and milli bore flow systems. The capillaries are used to separate molecules that are chemically tagged with appropriate fluorescent or chromophore groups.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An illumination system for illuminating a plurality of separate detection volumes simultaneously, the illumination system comprising:
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a light pipe in the form of a length of tube, rod, or fiber having a first end and a second end, an excitation source which provides excitation light wherein the excitation source is optically coupled to the light pipe to provide excitation light along the length of the tube, rod, or fiber, and a luminescent material in the light pipe which absorbs the excitation light and, in response generates and emits luminescent light by spontaneous emission through the first end of the tube, rod, or fiber, wherein the luminescent light emitted from the light pipe is of sufficient power to illuminate said plurality of separate detection volumes simultaneously; a mirror coupled to the second end of the tube, rod, or fiber to reflect luminescence toward the first end of the tube, rod, or fiber, and coupling optics including an optical receiving element and a plurality of optical distribution elements, wherein said optical receiving element receives said luminescent light emitted from the light pipe and transmits said luminescent light to all of said plurality of optical distribution elements simultaneously, and wherein each of said plurality of optical distribution elements receives said luminescent light and transmits said luminescent light to a separate one of said plurality of separate detection volumes, whereby all of said plurality of separate detection volumes are illuminated simultaneously with said luminescent light emitted from said light pipe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An illumination system for illuminating a plurality of separate detection volumes simultaneously, the illumination system comprising:
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a light pipe in the form of a length of tube, rod, or fiber having a first end and a second end, an array of LEDs which provides excitation light wherein the array of LEDs is optically coupled to the light pipe to provide excitation light along the length of the tube, rod, or fiber, and a luminescent material in the light pipe which absorbs the excitation light and, in response generates and emits luminescent light through the first end of the tube, rod, or fiber, wherein the luminescent light emitted from the light pipe is of sufficient power to illuminate said plurality of separate detection volumes simultaneously; a mirror coupled to the second end of the tube, rod, or fiber to reflect luminescent light toward the first end of the tube, rod, or fiber, and coupling optics including an optical receiving element and a plurality of optical distribution elements, wherein said optical receiving element receives said luminescent light emitted from the light pipe and transmits said luminescent light to all of said plurality of optical distribution elements simultaneously, and wherein each of said plurality of optical distribution elements receives said luminescent light and transmits said luminescent light to a separate one of said plurality of separate detection volumes, whereby all of said plurality of separate detection volumes are illuminated simultaneously with said luminescent light emitted from said light pipe. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A bioanalytical system comprising:
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a bioanalytical tool selected from the group consisting of;
microarray scanners;
microtiter plate readers;
DNA sequencers;
PCR instruments;
Q-PCR instruments;
microscopes;
flow cytometry instruments;
lab-on-a-chip devices;
diagnostic medical devices; and
therapeutic medical devices, the bioanalytical tool defining a plurality of separate detection volumes;a light pipe in the form of a length of tube, rod, or fiber having a first end and a second end, an array of LEDs which provides excitation light wherein the array of LEDs is optically coupled to the light pipe to provide excitation light along the length of the tube, rod, or fiber, and a luminescent material in the light pipe which absorbs the excitation light and, in response generates and emits luminescent light through the first end of the tube, rod, or fiber wherein the luminescent light emitted from the light pipe is of sufficient power to illuminate said plurality of separate detection volumes simultaneously; and coupling optics including an optical receiving element and a plurality of optical distribution elements, wherein said optical receiving element receives said luminescent light emitted from the light pipe and transmits said luminescent light to all of said plurality of optical distribution elements simultaneously, and wherein each of said plurality of optical distribution elements receives said luminescent light and transmits said luminescent light to a separate one of said plurality of separate detection volumes, whereby all of said plurality of separate detection volumes are illuminated simultaneously with said luminescent light emitted from said light pipe. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification