Scanning spectrophotometer for high throughput fluorescence detection and fluorescence polarization

Abstract

A fluorescence spectrophotometer system may be implemented in scanning fluorescence polarization detection applications. A wavelength and area scanning fluorescence spectrophotometer system may include a light source, an excitation double monochromator, an excitation/emission light transfer module, an emission double monochromator, a high speed timer-counter circuit board, a precision positioning apparatus for positioning a sample relative to the focal plane of the excitation light, and polarizing filters at the excitation side and the emission side. The system may be operative to analyze more than one fluorescent compound in the sample; additionally or alternatively, the system enables analysis of samples from selected ones of a plurality of samples.

1 . A fluorescence spectrophotometer system comprising:
 a light source;   a first double monochromator comprising two or more gratings and operative to separate light from the light source into a plurality of wavelengths and to output selected wavelengths as excitation light;   a light transfer module comprising
 a first reflection surface operative to direct substantially all of the excitation light directly onto a sample, and 
 a second refection surface operative to direct light that is emitted from the sample as fluorescent or luminescent light; 
   a second double monochromator comprising two or more gratings and operative to separate the fluorescent or luminescent light directed by the light transfer module into a plurality of wavelengths and to output selected wavelengths of the fluorescent or luminescent light as emission light; and   a photodetector and analyzer, operative to receive the emission light output by the second double monochromator, to detect the selected wavelengths of the emission light, and to output an indication of the selected wavelengths.