Patent ID: 7277175

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation; a first optical system; an optical delivery system capable of providing electromagnetic radiation from said source to said first optical system; said first optical system being capable of substantially collimating the provided electromagnetic radiation; a sample holding assembly capable of holding a microvolume liquid sample and placing the microvolume liquid sample in an optical path of the substantially collimated electromagnetic radiation; the substantially collimated electromagnetic radiation also being transmitted through at least a portion of said sample holding assembly; a filter assembly comprising at least one filter, said filter assembly being positioned in the optical path of the substantially collimated electromagnetic radiation; a second optical system capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the sample and said at least a portion of said sample holding assembly and through said filter assembly; a detecting system capable of detecting electromagnetic radiation; and, an optical transmission system capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from said second optical system and transmitting the received electromagnetic radiation to said detecting system; said second optical system being also capable of transmitting electromagnetic radiation to said optical transmission system; and said detecting system being optical disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation from said optical transmission system.