Patent ID: 6818437
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: B01L,C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
An optical instrument for monitoring polymerase chain reaction replication of DNA in a reaction apparatus that includes a thermal cycler block for holding at least one vial containing a suspension of ingredients for the reaction, the ingredients including a fluorescent primary dye that fluoresces proportionately in presence of DNA, the instrument comprising:a light source for emitting a source beam having at least a primary excitation frequency that causes the primary dye to fluoresce at an emission frequency; first means disposed to be receptive of the source beam to effect an excitation bean having the excitation frequency; primary focusing means disposed to focus the excitation beam into each suspension such that the primary dye emits an emission beam having the emission frequency, the emission beam having an intensity representative of concentration of DNA in each suspension, the focusing means being receptive of and passing the emission beam; second means disposed to be receptive of the emission beam from the focusing means so as to further pass the emission bean at the emission frequency; emission focusing means for focusing the emission beam; a detector disposed to be receptive of the emission beam from the second means and the emission focusing means such that the emission beam is focused onto the detector, the detector generating primary data signals representative of the emission beam and thereby a corresponding concentration of DNA in each vial; and processing means receptive of the primary data signals for computing primary signal data and the corresponding concentration of DNA; wherein the block is configured to hold a plurality of vials, the focusing means comprises a corresponding plurality of vial lenses each being disposed for positioning over a vial such that the emission beam comprises individual beams each associated with a vial, and the detector comprises an array of photoreceptors receptive of the individual beams and capable of generating corresponding data signals such that the processing means is capable of computing a respective concentration of DNA in each vial.