Light source for variable path length systems

Abstract

A system for determining a characteristic of a sample includes a light source for directing light into an input of a spectrometer. The spectrometer splits the received light into light outputs each having a different wavelength. An active wavelength selection module (AWSM) includes an optical receiving component (ORC). An actuator is coupled to the spectrometer and/or the ORC to adjust a relative position between the spectrometer and the AWSM so that light is receivable by the ORC from a selected one of the plurality of light outputs. The ORC is configured to direct the received light to a sample. A collector is positioned to collect a portion of light that passes through the sample, and to deliver the collected light to an analysis module. The analysis module is configured to determine a quantity of light transmitted through the sample and to correlate transmitted light with a characteristic of the sample.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for determining a characteristic of a sample, the system comprising:
 a spectrometer for receiving light from a light source and for splitting the light into a plurality of light outputs having a plurality of different wavelength;   an active wavelength selection module (AWSM) comprising an optical receiving component (ORC);   an actuator for selectively adjusting a relative position between the spectrometer and the AWSM along a scanning direction so that light is receivable by the ORC from a selected one of the plurality of light outputs, wherein the ORC is configured to direct the received light to a sample, wherein the actuator is configured to selectively adjust the ORC in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction to position the ORC at a location within the selected one of the plurality of light outputs at which a desired light intensity exists; and   a collector for collecting light transmitted through the sample, and for delivering the collected light to an analysis module configured to correlate the transmitted light with a concentration of the sample.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sample is a protein, an antibody, a virus, a gene therapy, a cell therapy, a bovine serum albumen (BSA), a vaccine, a virus from Gene and Cell therapy drugs, DNA, RNA, caffeine, or a dye. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the AWSM is configured to position the ORC at a plurality of preset locations with respect to the spectrometer to receive light from the spectrometer at a plurality of preset wavelengths, each of the preset wavelengths associated with an absorption peak of an antibody, a virus, a gene therapy, a cell therapy, a bovine serum albumen (BSA), a vaccine, a virus from Gene and Cell therapy drugs, DNA, RNA, caffeine, or a dye. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of light outputs corresponds to a predetermined light wavelength associated with an absorption peak of the sample. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the desired light intensity is a maximum light intensity within the selected one of the plurality of light outputs. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ORC comprises a single optical fiber or an optical fiber array. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis module includes a variable path-length instrument. 
     
     
         8 . A wavelength selection mechanism for use in sample analysis, the wavelength selection mechanism comprising:
 a spectrometer for receiving light from a light source and for outputting light at a plurality of different wavelengths;   an optical receiving component (ORC) for receiving the light outputted by the spectrometer; and   an actuator configured to selectively adjust a relative position along first and second axes between the ORC and the spectrometer such that the ORC receives light from a selected one of the plurality of light outputs at a location within the selected one of the plurality of light outputs at which a desired light intensity exists, the selected one of the plurality of light outputs having a wavelength for determining a characteristic of the sample.   
     
     
         9 . The wavelength selection mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein the characteristic of the sample is a concentration of a compound in the sample, and the sample is a protein, an antibody, a virus, a gene therapy, a cell therapy, a bovine serum albumen (BSA), a vaccine, a virus from Gene and Cell therapy drugs, DNA, RNA, caffeine, or a dye. 
     
     
         10 . The wavelength selection mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein the AWSM is configured to position the ORC at a plurality of preset locations with respect to the spectrometer to receive light from the spectrometer at a plurality of preset wavelengths, each of the preset wavelengths associated with an absorption peak of an antibody, a virus, a gene therapy, a cell therapy, a bovine serum albumen (BSA), a vaccine, a virus from Gene and Cell therapy drugs, DNA, RNA, caffeine, or a dye 
     
     
         11 . The wavelength selection mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of light outputs corresponds to a predetermined light wavelength associated with an absorption peak of the sample. 
     
     
         12 . The wavelength selection mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein the desired light intensity is a maximum light intensity within the selected one of the plurality of light outputs. 
     
     
         13 . The wavelength selection mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein the ORC comprises a single optical fiber or an optical fiber array. 
     
     
         14 . The wavelength selection mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein the analysis module includes a variable path-length instrument. 
     
     
         15 . A method for determining a characteristic of a sample, comprising:
 directing a light into an input of a spectrometer;   at the spectrometer, splitting the light into a plurality of light outputs each having a different wavelength;   moving at least one of the spectrometer and an optical receiving component (ORC) of an active wavelength selection module AWSM with respect to each other along a scanning direction and in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction such that the ORC receives light from a selected one of the plurality of light outputs at a location within the selected one of the plurality of light outputs at which a desired light intensity exists;   directing the received light to a sample;   collecting a quantity of the received light that passes through the sample and directing the collected light to an analysis module; and   at the analysis module, correlating the collected light with a characteristic of the sample.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sample is selected from the list consisting of a protein, an antibody, a virus, a gene therapy, a cell therapy, a bovine serum albumen (BSA), a vaccine, a virus from Gene and Cell therapy drugs, DNA, and RNA, caffeine, and a dye. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising positioning the ORC at one of a plurality of preset locations with respect to the spectrometer to receive light from the spectrometer at one of a plurality of preset wavelengths, wherein each of the preset wavelengths is associated with an absorption peak of an antibody, a virus, a gene therapy, a cell therapy, a bovine serum albumen (BSA), a vaccine, a virus from Gene and Cell therapy drugs, DNA, RNA, caffeine, or a dye. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of light outputs corresponds to a predetermined light wavelength associated with an absorption peak of the sample. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the desired light intensity is a maximum light intensity within the selected one of the plurality of light outputs. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the ORC comprises a single optical fiber or an optical fiber array.