Optical system for capillary electrophoresis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11280759-B2
Application number	US-201515124013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 7, 2014
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

A system for conducting a capillary electrophoresis assay includes a light source, an interface, and an illumination optical system. The light source is configured to provide a source beam of electromagnetic radiation. The interface is configured to receive a plurality of capillaries containing one or more target molecules or sequence of molecules. The illumination optical system is configured in use to produce a plurality of output beams from the source beam and to direct each of the output beams to corresponding capillary of the plurality of capillaries.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for conducting a capillary electrophoresis assay, the system comprising:
a capillary array comprising a plurality of capillaries configured for containing one or more target molecules or sequence of molecules;
a light source configured to provide a source beam of electromagnetic radiation;
a spectrometer comprising a plurality of fibers, wherein each fiber is associated with a corresponding one of the capillaries, and wherein radiation from the capillaries is dispersed by wavelength onto an array detector;
an interface configured to receive the plurality of capillaries;
an illumination optical system configured in use to produce a plurality of output beams from the source beam and to direct each of the output beams to a corresponding capillary of the plurality of capillaries, wherein each output beam is oriented perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to a longitudinally extending axis of the corresponding capillary;
an emission optical system configured to produce a plurality of spectrum simultaneously at the detector, each spectrum corresponding to a respective capillary from the capillary array; and
a capillary array holder comprising a dynamic mount configured to provide an active alignment of the plurality of capillaries by adjusting a relative position between the plurality of capillaries and the plurality of output beams based on a signal from one or more capillaries.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the illumination optical system comprises at least one of a beam divider configured to produce the plurality of output beams, a diffractive optical element configured to produce the plurality of output beams, or a holographic optical element configured to produce the plurality of output beams.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein, during use, the system is configured to produce at least four output beams.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein, during use, the system is configured to produce a plurality of output beams and each of the plurality of output beams is characterized by an elliptical cross-section.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein, during use, the system is configured to produce a plurality of output beams and each of the plurality of output beams is parallel to the other output beams.

Assignees

• Life Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Maher Kevin

Classifications

• G01N27/44791

  Microapparatus (sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027) · CPC title

• G01N21/645

  Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters · CPC title

• G01N27/44721 Primary

  by optical means · CPC title

• G01N27/44704

  Details; Accessories · CPC title

• G01N27/44756 Primary

  Apparatus specially adapted therefor · CPC title