Fluorescence reader
Inventors
Lindstrom, Tomas • Mendel-Hartvig, Ib • Öhman, Ove • Backlund, Johan • Vilhelmsson, Kennet
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9279768-B2
Publication Date
2016-03-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
A fluorescence reader for an optical assay arrangement that includes a polymeric sample substrate having a reaction site-surface and a substrate surface. The fluorescence reader includes a light source arranged to illuminate the reaction site-surface through the substrate surface, and a detector device arranged to detect fluorescent light emitted from the reaction site-surface and transmitted through the substrate surface, the substrate surface being configured to increase transmission of emitted fluorescent light by suppression of total internal reflection.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an improved fluorescence reader for optical assays using a polymeric sample substrate. The substrate has a reaction site-surface with fluorophores disposed thereon and a substrate surface opposed to the reaction site-surface.
A light source injects exciting light rays into the substrate surface at an acute incidence angle relative to the substrate surface, and a detector device detects fluorescent light emitted by the fluorophores and transmitted through the substrate surface. The fluorescence reader suppresses total internal reflection of the emitted fluorescent light by providing total-internal-reflection-suppressing means located in an optical path for increasing transmission to the detector device.
The total-internal-reflection-suppressing means comprises a light-collecting body positioned relative to the exterior of the substrate surface, designed to collect and transmit light by means of total internal-reflection, and is described as ellipsoid-shaped. The disclosed embodiments also include incidence-angle-controlling means to enlarge the exciting-light incidence angle toward a fluorophore’s maximum emission lobe, and further arrangements intended to prevent excitation light reaching the detector, including filtering and polarization.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides two independent claims: an apparatus combination for fluorescence detection and a corresponding method claim. Both independent claims share the core concept of exciting fluorophores on a reaction-site surface and detecting emitted fluorescent light transmitted through an opposed substrate surface while suppressing total internal reflection using an optical-path total-internal-reflection-suppressing means with an ellipsoid-shaped light-collecting body.
Fluorescence reader with total-internal-reflection-suppressing light-collecting body
A combination of a fluorescence reader and a sample substrate, where the substrate has a reaction site-surface with fluorophores disposed thereon and a substrate surface opposed to the reaction site-surface; the fluorescence reader injects exciting light rays into the substrate surface at an acute incidence angle relative to the substrate surface and includes a detector device to detect fluorescent light emitted from the fluorophores and transmitted through the substrate surface; the substrate surface includes a total-internal-reflection-suppressing means located in an optical path of the emitted fluorescent light for increasing transmission through the substrate surface, wherein the total-internal-reflection-suppressing means comprises a light-collecting body positioned relative to the exterior of the substrate surface, designed to collect and transmit light by means of total internal-reflection, and wherein the light-collecting body is ellipsoid-shaped.
Fluorescence detection method using ellipsoid-shaped light-collecting body total-internal-reflection-suppressing means
A method of detecting the fluorescence of a sample substrate using a fluorescence reader, comprising: injecting exciting light rays into a substrate surface with a light source positioned to inject exciting light rays into the substrate surface, wherein the substrate surface is opposed to a reaction site-surface; detecting fluorescent light emitted by fluorophores disposed on the reaction-site surface with a detector device positioned to detect the fluorescent light which is emitted by the fluorophores from the reaction site-surface and transmitted through the substrate surface; providing the substrate surface with a total-internal-reflection-suppressing means located in an optical path of the fluorescent light for increasing transmission through the substrate surface for detection by the detector device, wherein the total-reflection-suppressing means comprises a light-collecting body disposed relative to the exterior of the substrate surface, configured to collect and transmit light by means of total internal-reflection, and wherein the light-collecting body is substantially ellipsoid-shaped.
Across both independent claims, the main inventive features are: a fluorescence reader exciting fluorophores on a reaction-site surface and detecting emitted fluorescent light transmitted through an opposed substrate surface; and an optical-path total-internal-reflection-suppressing means that includes an ellipsoid-shaped light-collecting body positioned relative to the exterior of the substrate surface to increase transmission for detection.
Stated Advantages
Increasing transmission through the substrate surface for detection by the detector device by suppressing total internal reflection of emitted fluorescent light.
Documented Applications
Optical assays using a polymeric sample substrate for fluorescence/phosphorescence reader arrangements.
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