Patent ID: 6982431

Claim:
An apparatus for detecting light emitted from a composition, comprising: a stage for supporting a composition in an examination site, the composition being contained in a spatial volume lying between boundary interfaces located a different points along a Z-axis, wherein the Z-axis is substantially perpendicular to the stage; an automated registration device that automatically brings successive compositions, held in adjacent wells of a microplate, and the examination site into register for successive analysis of the composition; an arc lamp light source positioned to deliver light to the composition in the examination site; a detector positioned to receive light transmitted from the composition in the examination site; an optical relay structure located between the light source and the detector, the optical relay structure being capable of transmitting light substantially from a sensed volume of the composition, wherein the sensed volume is spaced away from at least one of the boundary interfaces of the composition; and an automated Z-axis optical adjustment device that automatically adjusts the position of the sensed volume along the Z-axis between and spaced away from the boundary interfaces.