Patent ID: 7282180

Claim:
An apparatus for automatically scanning magnetically and detectably labeled micron-sized objects on a planar surface whereon said objects are aligned in a linear array by magnetic means, comprising: a. one or more laser light sources; b. a polarized beam splitter with feedback detector; c. a dichroic mirror assembly; d. a focusing lens assembly; e. a sample chamber having affixed thereto at least two parallel nickel lines in the x-direction thereby to form a linear array, said sample chamber being inserted into a magnet system stably affixed to said x-y stage, thereby providing means for collecting, aligning and transporting said collected labeled objects into said focused light beam in a stepwise and digitized mode; f. means for acquiring the sequential digitized signals images emanating from said labeled objects as digitized sub-images by means of a CCD camera and one or more PMT tubes; g. means for storing said acquired sub-images in computer memory indexed to the corresponding z-y stage position; and h. means for reconstructing a full image having combined multiple digitized sub-images of said objects on said linear array.