Patent ID: 6191852
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
Measurement system for detecting optical signals of microassays, in which the signal-generating test objects (5) are arranged on an investigation surface of a planar carrier (4), comprising an optical imaging arrangement which reduces the size of the test objects (5) to be measured in such a way that all the objects are imaged completely on a two-dimensional, photosensitive image sensor (6), characterized in that the optical imaging arrangement comprises a high-resolution glass-fibre taper element (1) having a large-area (2) and a small-area end (3) and the end surfaces (2, 3) are chosen such that the large-area end surface (2) corresponds at least to the investigation surface of the carrier (4) and the small-area end surface (3) corresponds to the size of the image sensor (6), the ratio of the end surfaces (2, 3) producing the scale of reduction of the optical imaging arrangement in order to image the investigation surface of the carrier (4) completely onto the image sensor (6) wherein the planar carrier comprises a plate (4) having a multiplicity of holes (9) for receiving the signal-generating test objects (5), in that the image sensor (6) comprises an image intensifier (10) and a video camera (11) for converting the intensified image signals into electronic signals, and in that the glass-fibre taper element (1) generates a reduced image of the plate (4) that fully fills the entry window (15) of the image intensifier (10).