Patent ID: 7872749

Claim:
An instrument for making optical measurements on a plurality of microliter samples contained by surface tension comprising: means for containing a plurality of microliter samples by surface tension between opposing, proximal-ends of a plurality of supply optical fibers and an equal plurality of proximal ends of receiving/ detecting optical fibers, said ends in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship and establishing a columnar optical path between wetted areas on each of the opposing fiber ends for measuring signals; means for supplying light to the distal ends of the supply fibers; means for holding the distal ends of the receiving/detecting fibers in a spaced array; means for scanning the proximal ends of more than one scanning fiber across the spaced distal ends of the receiving/ detecting fibers; and more than one means connected to the distal ends of the more than one scanning fiber for accepting signals transmitted through the more than one scanning fiber and making optical measurements thereon, wherein optical measurements are made at more than one receiving/ detecting fiber end simultaneously using the more than one scanning fiber and more than one means for accepting signals and making optical measurements thereon.