Optical system for chemical and/or biochemical reactions
First Claim
1. Apparatus for monitoring light emanating from an array of reaction vessels in which a chemical or biochemical reaction is occurring, said apparatus comprising:
- an array of reaction vessels, each reaction vessel comprising a receptacle portion having an interior volume in which a chemical or biochemical reaction may occur and in which volume the light may be produced, the reaction vessel having an emitting area from which at least part of the produced light can emanate;
a light detecting device for detecting one or more wavebands of at least part of the light produced in the interior volumes of all of the reaction vessels where light is produced;
a first set of light waveguides comprising at least one light waveguide for each reaction vessel in the array of reaction vessels, each light waveguide arranged to guide at least part of the light produced in the interior volumes of a respective reaction vessels and emanating from the respective reaction vessel to the light detecting device, whereby at least a part of the produced light emanating from all of the reaction vessels where light is produced is detected substantially simultaneously by the light detecting device, each light waveguide having a first end arranged adjacent a corresponding emitting area of a respective reaction vessel, and a second end arranged for providing at least part of the light emanating from the respective reaction vessel to the light detecting device, wherein the first ends of the first set of light waveguides are arranged in an array arranged adjacent the array of reaction vessels;
at least one excitation light source for providing excitation light; and
a second set of further light waveguides for guiding excitation light from the at least one excitation light source to all of the reaction vessels substantially simultaneously, the second set of further light waveguides comprising at least one further light waveguide for each reaction vessel in the array of reaction vessels, each further light waveguide having a first end arranged adjacent a respective reaction vessel and a second end arranged for receiving at least part of the light from the at least one excitation light source.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting light emanating from chemical or biochemical reactions occurring in at least one reaction vessel of a plurality of reaction vessels is disclosed. Each reaction vessel has a receptacle portion having an emitting area from which light can emanate. A plurality of light waveguides are arranged to guide light from apertures in a masking element to a light dispersing device for dispersing the light from each waveguide into a dispersed spectrum. A light detecting device detects specific spectra in the dispersed spectra of light substantially simultaneously In one embodiment, the light waveguides have a diameter that tapers from a first end substantially similar in diameter to the area of the top of the reaction vessel to a second end that is substantially smaller in diameter.
23 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for monitoring light emanating from an array of reaction vessels in which a chemical or biochemical reaction is occurring, said apparatus comprising:
-
an array of reaction vessels, each reaction vessel comprising a receptacle portion having an interior volume in which a chemical or biochemical reaction may occur and in which volume the light may be produced, the reaction vessel having an emitting area from which at least part of the produced light can emanate; a light detecting device for detecting one or more wavebands of at least part of the light produced in the interior volumes of all of the reaction vessels where light is produced; a first set of light waveguides comprising at least one light waveguide for each reaction vessel in the array of reaction vessels, each light waveguide arranged to guide at least part of the light produced in the interior volumes of a respective reaction vessels and emanating from the respective reaction vessel to the light detecting device, whereby at least a part of the produced light emanating from all of the reaction vessels where light is produced is detected substantially simultaneously by the light detecting device, each light waveguide having a first end arranged adjacent a corresponding emitting area of a respective reaction vessel, and a second end arranged for providing at least part of the light emanating from the respective reaction vessel to the light detecting device, wherein the first ends of the first set of light waveguides are arranged in an array arranged adjacent the array of reaction vessels; at least one excitation light source for providing excitation light; and a second set of further light waveguides for guiding excitation light from the at least one excitation light source to all of the reaction vessels substantially simultaneously, the second set of further light waveguides comprising at least one further light waveguide for each reaction vessel in the array of reaction vessels, each further light waveguide having a first end arranged adjacent a respective reaction vessel and a second end arranged for receiving at least part of the light from the at least one excitation light source. - 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. Apparatus for monitoring light emanating from an array of reaction vessels in which a chemical or biochemical reaction is occurring, said apparatus comprising:
-
an array of reaction vessels, each reaction vessel comprising a receptacle portion having an interior volume in which a chemical or biochemical reaction may occur and in which volume the light may be produced, the reaction vessel having an emitting area from which at least part of the produced light can emanate; a light detecting device for detecting one or more wavebands of at least part of the light produced in the interior volumes of all of the reaction vessels where light is produced; a first set of light waveguides comprising at least one light waveguide for each reaction vessel in the array of reaction vessels, each light waveguide arranged to guide at least part of the light produced in the interior volume and emanating from the emitting area of a respective reaction vessel to the light detecting device, whereby at least part of the produced light emanating from all of the reaction vessels where light is produced is detected substantially simultaneously by the light detecting device, each light waveguide having a first end arranged adjacent a corresponding emitting area of a respective one of the reaction vessels, and a second end arranged for providing at least part of the light emanating from the respective reaction vessel to the light detecting device, wherein the first ends of the first set of light waveguides are arranged in an array arranged adjacent the array of reaction vessels; at least one excitation light source for providing excitation light; and a second set of further light waveguides for guiding at least part of the excitation light from the at least one excitation light source to all of the respective reaction vessels substantially simultaneously, the second set of further light waveguides comprising at least one further light waveguide for each reaction vessel in the array of reaction vessels, each further light waveguide having a first end arranged adjacent a respective reaction vessel and a second end arranged for receiving at least part of the light from the at least one excitation light source, wherein the second ends of the first set of light waveguides are arranged within a smaller area than an area within which the array of the first ends of the first set of light waveguides are arranged.
-
Specification