Patent ID: 6795189
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: B01J,G01N

Abstract:
A universal microplate analyzer comprising:(a) an illumination module including: (1) as an excitation light source, a continuous wave light source and optionally, a flash light source; (2) a means for shaping and filtering the light from said excitation light source; (b) multiple optical fiber channels for transmitting the shaped and filtered excitation light to a read head or to the bottom of a microplate well; (c) at least one read head including: (1) a means for shaping and optionally polarizing the shaped and filtered excitation light received from a first one of said optical fiber channels; (2) an optical switch including a minor and beam splitter to reflect the shaped and optionally polarized excitation light to a sample in a microplate well; (3) a means for shaping, filtering, and optionally polarizing light emitted by said sample in response to said excitation light directed into said sample; and (4) a light detector for measuring the amount of said emitted light received from said means for shaping, filtering, and optionally polarizing light.