Patent ID: 6252235
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An apparatus for imaging fluorescent particles stained with a fluorescent dye, comprising:an imaging vessel having an interior space, an exterior surface, an upper portion, and a bottom portion having a side wall and a bottom wall for collecting fluorescent particles, a part of the exterior surface of the imaging vessel corresponding to the bottom portion defining an entry surface of the imaging vessel for receiving a flat excitation beam of light;light generating means for generating a flat excitation beam of light for exciting the fluorescent particles collected in the bottom portion of the imaging vessel;light projecting means for projecting the flat excitation beam of light generated by the light generating means onto the entry surface of the imaging vessel in a direction generally parallel to the bottom wall thereof to illuminate the fluorescent particles collected in the bottom portion of the imaging vessel; andmeans for capturing images of the illuminated fluorescent particles from the bottom wall of the imaging vessel.