Patent ID: 6236456
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A sample characterizing instrument, comprising:a source of excitation light comprising:a lamp;a first scanning monochromator; anda plurality of bandpass filters within a first filter wheel, wherein a bandpass associated with each of said plurality of bandpass filters is between about 10 and about 100 nanometers;a sample testing region;a detection assembly comprising:a detector;a second scanning monochromator; anda plurality of optical filters within a second filter wheel;an optical assembly coupled to said excitation light source and coupled to said detection assembly, wherein said optical assembly directs said excitation light to said sample testing region, and wherein said optical assembly directs sample light from said sample testing region to said detection assembly;a carriage assembly coupled to said optical assembly and to said sample testing region, said carriage assembly controlling the relative movement of said sample testing region and said optical assembly to provide scanning of at least a portion of said sample testing region; anda processor coupled to said carriage assembly, said excitation light source, and said detection assembly, wherein said processor controls said scanning of said carriage assembly along a first scanning axis and a second scanning axis, wherein said processor controls an output wavelength of said excitation light source by controlling said lamp, said first scanning monochromator, and said plurality of bandpass filters, and wherein said processor controls a detection wavelength of said detector by controlling said second scanning monochromator and said plurality of optical filters.