The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 21, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 11, 2001
Anthony C. Gilby, Foxborough, MA (US);
Waters Investments Limited, , DE (US);
Abstract
An optical scheme that substantially eliminates spherical aberration and coma, thereby substantially improving fluorescence excitation and collection efficiency. The optical scheme utilizes a laser beam focused by an optical component through the curved surface of a hyper-hemisphere. The hyper-hemisphere focuses the beam sharply at a known point while avoiding spherical aberration and coma. The optical scheme includes both a hyper-hemisphere and a hemisphere. Both the hyper-hemisphere and hemisphere have a substantially planar surface. The substantially planar surface of the hyper-hemisphere is optimally located so that a capillary or cell can be positioned at an internal aplanatic radius. This results in an aplanatic focus at the capillary or cell such that the spherical aberration and coma are zero. A single hyper-hemisphere having a substantially planar surface can be used, wherein the capillary is located at an aplanatic point on the substantially planar surface of the single hyper-hemisphere.