Optics: measuring and testing – For optical fiber or waveguide inspection
Patent
1997-07-28
1999-04-06
Kim, Robert
Optics: measuring and testing
For optical fiber or waveguide inspection
422 8209, 422 1205, G01N 2103, G01N 2129
Patent
active
058925775
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus and to a method for carrying out optical analysis of samples and is applicable in particular to the analysis of biological, chemical and biochemical samples.
Many chemical, biochemical and biological assays rely upon inducing a change in the optical properties of a biological sample being tested. For example, in order to test for the presence of an antibody in a blood sample, possibly indicating a viral infection, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) can be carried out which produces a visible coloured deposit if the antibody is present. An ELISA makes use of a surface which is coated with an antigen specific to the antibody to be tested for. Upon exposure of the surface to the blood sample, antibodies in the sample bind to the antigens. Subsequent staining of the surface with specific enzyme-conjugated antibodies and reaction of the enzyme with a substrate produces a precipitate which shows up the level of antigen binding and hence allows the presence of antibodies in the sample to be identified. This identification is usually carried out using a light microscope which allows an area of the substrate to be viewed by an operator.
In addition to colour staining using an ELISA, techniques such as fluorescence and gold labelling can be used to alter the optical properties of biological antigen material. Similar techniques are also used in general histology to visualise specific areas of tissue, e.g. particular cell types or cell structures, as well as in cell culture.
A significant disadvantage of existing optical analysis techniques is that they are open to human error because of their subjective nature. These techniques are also not suited to uses where a high throughput of samples is required, for example in blood screening applications or cervical smear tests, and are thus relatively expensive to use. The cost factor is exacerbated because, more often than not, different equipment is required for each particular technique.
An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for carrying out the optical analysis of samples which overcomes or at least mitigates certain of these disadvantages.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an optical analysis technique which allows high speed automatic analysis of biological, biochemical and chemical samples and which is versatile enough to allow it to be used for a variety of different studies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These objects are achieved by adapting the technology which has been developed in the field of audio and video compact discs to scan surfaces, to which a sample has been attached, using a light beam which is substantially focused onto that surface. A detector is arranged to detect light reflected from, or transmitted through that surface, and to determine from analysis of the detected light whether the light beam has been interfered with by the sample material.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of conducting an optical inspection of a biological, chemical, or biochemical sample, the method comprising the steps of: the substrate; axis substantially perpendicular to the substrate and by moving the radiation source in a direction having a component radial to said axis; and and sample and providing an output signal corresponding to the detected radiation.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for automatically carrying out an optical inspection of a sample to determine whether or not the sample comprises material which interferes with incident electromagnetic radiation, the system comprising: electromagnetic radiation; reflected from and/or passing through the substrate and the sample, the substrate being provided with distributed electromagnetic radiation modulating means for modulating at least a part of said beam with a digitally encoded position address indicative of the location on said surface on which the beam is currently directed, the detector means
REFERENCES:
patent: 3736432 (1973-05-01), Sweet
patent: 5270210 (1993-12-01), Weyrauch et al.
Kim Robert
Smith Zandra V.
The University Court of the University of Glasgow
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