Patent ID: 6494373
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: B01J,G01N

Abstract:
A biochip reader for reading image information appropriate for a plurality of samples on biochip, said reader comprising:first means for emitting a plurality of light beams, second means for focusing said plurality of light beams to form concurrently a plurality of excitation beams in a pattern comprising a plurality of locations on a surface of said biochip on which said plurality of samples are arranged in a plurality of spots or linear arrays; and third means for controlling at least said second means so that spatial planar positions of said plurality of samples and spatial planar positions of said plurality of concurrently applied excitation beams agree with each other, whereby surface images of said samples are obtained without scanning, wherein said third means further comprises means for causing said plurality of light beams to be focused to be concurrently on said surface of said biochip to form an image thereof at positions of images of samples at which corresponding excitation beams impinge on the surface of said biochip.