Varian Australia Pty Ltd

Martin Keith Masters

Michael Ron Hammer

Peter G Layton

Stewart R Campbell

Yin Sheng Sun

Philip V Wilson

Dower Cameron Bricker

Mark R Williams

A spectrophotometer having an optical system for directing a beam of substantially monochromatic excitation light to a liquid sample contained in a well () of a well plate for interaction with the sample for absorption or emission measurements to analyse the sample. The optical system includes two apertures () for establishing a Kohler illumination region outside the well, that is an excitation beam region between conjugate images () of the two apertures. This excitation beam region is then demagnified and imaged () into the well (). The invention provides for the shape of the Kohler illumination region to correspond to the shape of the well space so that all of the liquid sample is uniformly illuminated without the well obstructing any portion of the illuminating excitation beam of light. Advantages of the invention are that the Kohler illumination region of the excitation beam is convenient for insertion of filters (), apertures and polarisers () into the excitation optical system and permits use of small and thus cheaper filters and polarisers. Also the invention provides for accurate absorption or emission measurements from a liquid sample in a well notwithstanding that the sample may only partially fill the well.

Spectrophotometer

A method and apparatus for the spectrochemical analysis of a sample in which a solid state array detector ( ) is used to detect radiation ( ) of spectrochemical interest. The invention involves the use of a shutter ( ) adjacent the entrance aperture ( ) of a polychromator ( ) to expose the detector ( ) to the radiation ( ) for varying lengths of time whereby for short duration exposure times charge accumulation in elements (i.e. pixels) of the detector ( ) due to high intensity components of the radiation is limited and for longer exposure times charge accumulation in elements (pixels) of the detector ( ) due to feeble intesity components of radiation ( ) is increased. This ensures that each reading of the detector ( ) includes at least one exposure in which the amount of charge accumulated at each wavelength of interest is neither too little or too great. The problems of feeble radiation components not being accurately measurable and of high intensity radiation components exceeding the charge carrying capacity of elements (pixels) of the detector ( ) are thereby able to be avoided. An attenuator ( ) may be placed between the radiation source ( ) and the detector ( ) to permit longer exposure times to be used for very high intensity radiation.

Method and apparatus for spectrochemical analysis

Spectroscopy apparatus for spectrochemical analysis of a sample having an excitation source ( ) for providing spectral light ( ) of the sample for analysis. The spectral light ( ) is analysed via an optical system ( ) that includes a polychromator ( ) and solid state multielement array detector ( ). The elements (i.e. pixels) of the detector ( ) are serially reel by means ( ) to provide light intensity measurements as a function of wavelength. A problem is that the elements (pixels) of the detector ( ) continue to accumulate change during the serial read-out. This is avoided by providing an optical shutter ( ) for blocking the spectral light ( ) whilst elements (pixels) of the detector ( ) are being serially read. Shutter ( ) has a piezoelectric actuator which is preferably a bimorph mounted as a cantilever. It is preferably located adjacent to the entrance aperture ( ) of the polychromator. Bimorph structures for the actuator and drive and protective circuit arrangements are also disclosed.

Optical shutter for spectroscopy instrument

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Rowville, Australia

Martin Keith Masters