Apparatus for applying thermal energy to a receptacle and detecting an emission signal from the receptacle

Abstract

An apparatus including a thermally-conductive receptacle holder having a row of receptacle wells. Each receptacle well has an inner surface defined to receive a receptacle, and each receptacle well has a through-hole extending between the inner and outer surfaces thereof. The apparatus further includes one or more thermal elements for altering a temperature(s) of the receptacle holder, where the one or more thermal element are in contact with a side surface of the receptacle holder. There are two or more thermistors disposed in contact with the receptacle holder and a channel disposed within the side surface and containing wires and/or electrical connections for the two or more thermistors. The apparatus additionally includes a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber providing optical communication between one of the receptacle wells and at least one of an excitation signal source and an emission signal detector, where a first end of each optical fiber is disposed outside, within, or extends through the through-hole of a corresponding one of the receptacle wells, and where a second end of each optical fiber is in optical communication with the excitation signal source and/or the emission signal detector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions, comprising:
 a thermally-conductive receptacle holder comprising a row of receptacle wells, wherein an inner surface of each of the receptacle wells is defined to receive a receptacle, and wherein each of the receptacle wells has a through-hole extending between the inner and outer surfaces thereof;   one or more thermal elements for altering a temperature(s) of the receptacle holder, the one or more thermal element being in contact with a side surface of the receptacle holder;   two or more thermistors disposed in contact with the receptacle holder;   a channel disposed within the side surface and containing wires and/or electrical connections for the two or more thermistors; and   a plurality of optical fibers, each of the optical fibers providing optical communication between one of the receptacle wells and at least one of an excitation signal source and an emission signal detector, wherein a first end of each of the optical fibers is disposed outside, within, or extends through the through-hole of a corresponding one of the receptacle wells, and wherein a second end of each optical fiber is in optical communication with the excitation signal source and/or the emission signal detector.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more thermistors comprise one or more thermistors disposed in contact with each of the receptacle wells. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the channel extends from an edge of the side surface to a location corresponding to a center-most receptacle well of the receptacle holder. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a pair of closed through-holes provided at the location of the channel corresponding to the center-most receptacle at an end of the channel, the closed through-holes being disposed on opposite sides of the center-most receptacle, wherein one of the two or more thermistors is provided through each of the closed through-holes. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a pair of bulges disposed on a front surface of the receptacle holder opposite the side surface, the bulges being further disposed on opposite sides of the center-most receptacle well, wherein each of the bulges is configured to accommodate one of the two or more thermistors inserted through the closed through-holes. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the two or more thermistors consist of two thermistors. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a support, the support being coupled to a lateral side surface of each of the one or more thermal elements, such that the one or more thermal elements are positioned between a portion of the support and the back surface of the receptacle holder. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the support comprises:
 a base portion having a plurality of through-holes, each of the through-holes being aligned with the through-hole of one of the receptacle wells; and   an upright portion extending from the base portion and coupled to the lateral side surface of the thermal element.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a heat sink coupled to the base portion of the support, wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of through-holes aligned with the plurality of through-holes of the base portion of the support. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller electrically connected to the one or more thermal elements to cycle the temperature of each of the one or more thermal elements. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of each optical fiber is fixedly disposed within the through-hole of the corresponding receptacle well. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the receptacle holder, wherein one or more receptacles disposed within one or more of the receptacle wells are seated or secured within the receptacle well by the cover when the cover is moved from the open position to the closed position, and wherein the first end of each optical fiber moves within its corresponding through-hole when (1) the cover is moved to the open or closed position, or (2) a receptacle is present in the receptacle well and the cover is moved to the open or closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus does not include a cover.