Optics: measuring and testing – By shade or color – With color transmitting filter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2001-11-20
Evans, Fannie L. (Department: 2877)
Optics: measuring and testing
By shade or color
With color transmitting filter
C356S317000, C356S318000, C356S344000, C250S458100, C250S459100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320660
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application Ser. No. 89105441, filed Mar. 24, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an optical inspection system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sieving apparatus for sample on a bio-chip.
2. Description of Related Art
A bio-chip is widely used in a biologic inspection system to sieve out the interesting samples. Usually, one sample or various samples arc put on a bio-chip at the detection units, respectively. The detection units on the bio-chip are sieved one by one. The bio-chip is implemented into a detection system for sieving each sample. The detection system is an optical detection system. The sample is illuminated by a light beam generated from a light source. The optical detection system then detects a fluorescent light from the sample on the bio-chip, whereby a particular component content in the sample is detected. As a result, the samples having the particular component are sieved out from the samples pool.
The bio-chip typically includes a specified material at the detection units. Once the samples are put onto the bio-chip, the material reacts with the particular component contained if the detected sample contain the particular component. After reaction, the component becomes fluorescent if the reacted component is illuminated by a light with a specific wavelength. Currently, the bio-chip detection apparatus needs an external light source. The external light source emits a light beam that is incident onto the detection unit of the bio-chip from side. If the fluorescent signal is successfully detected out, the sample is indicated as the sample containing the particular component.
FIG. 1
is a drawing, schematically illustrating a conventional optical detection system for a bio-chip. In
FIG. 1
, the conventional optical detection system includes an objective lens
100
, a slit
102
, a filter
104
, a photomultiplier tube
106
, an electronic filter
108
, and a computer
110
.
A bio-chip
130
with the sample is illuminated by an argon ion laser beam
150
from side with an incident angle of 45 degrees through a lens
140
. The laser beam illuminated the specified sample of the bio-chip
130
, then the sample containing the component produces a fluorescent light
120
. The fluorescent light
120
goes through the objective lens
100
, the slit
102
, the filter
104
, and then reach the photomultiplier tube
106
. The photomultiplier tube
106
amplifies the fluorescent light
120
and convert it into an electronic signal. The electronic signal is exported to the electronic filter
108
, and then to the computer
110
for processing.
In the foregoing conventional optical detection system for the bio-chip have to associate with an external light source. The whole system is complex and has a large volume. It is difficult to align and adjust. In this manner, the detection system for bio-chip is installed on a fixed frame only at a medical center or the similar centers. The sample sieving process is always performed at the centers. This causes very inconvenient and inefficient particularly when a large amount of samples need to be sieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a sieving apparatus for a bio-chip. The sieving apparatus integrates the light source and the detecting part in a single apparatus. Since the sieving apparatus is well compacted, the sieving apparatus is portable and can efficiently process sieve for a large amount of samples. The sieving apparatus of the invention includes a holographic optical element (HOE), which allows a light beam to illuminate the sample of the bio-chip from side with a specific incident angle. The bio-chip can efficiently absorb the illuminating light and generate more fluorescent effect. The sieving efficiency is effectively improved. This is particularly helpful for processing a large amount of samples. Furthermore, the sieving apparatus can be easily aligned and adjusted for detecting the fluorescent signals. Further still, the reflection light from the bio-chip is used to automatically locate the detection point at the samples through a servo system. The sieving efficiency is further greatly improved. As a result, a large amount of samples can be efficiently sieved.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a sieving apparatus for a bio-chip, which includes a light source, a HOE unit, a splitter, an objective lens, a filter, and an optical signal sensor. The HOE unit is coupled with a light source, so as to diffract the light into a zeroth order beam and a first order beam. The zeroth order beam has no deflection but the first order beam has a deflection from the zeroth order beam. The splitter is also coupled to the HOE unit, so as to lead the zeroth order beam and the first order beam to the objective lens. The objective lens further leads the two light beams to the bio-chip, in which the first order beam is incident onto the bio-chip from a specific incident angle, causing a florescent light from the sample. The bio-chip also reflects the zeroth order beam. Both the reflected zeroth order beam and the fluorescent light travel through the objective lens and the splitter. The filter is coupled to the splitter, so that the undesired portion of the light beams incident on the splitter is filtered by the filter. The optical sensor receives the light beams after the filter. The zeroth order beam is used to generate a focusing signal and a tracking signal. The focussing signal and the tracking signal are used to control the servo, so as to align the optical sensor to the samples for detecting the florescent light. The samples therefore are sieved to see whether the sample contains a particular component or not.
The invention provides another sieving apparatus for a bio-chip, which includes a light source, an HOE unit, a first splitter, a second splitter, an objective lens, a filter, a servo signal generating system, and a signal sensor. The HOE unit is coupled with a light source, so as to diffract the light source into a zeroth order beam and a first order beam. The zeroth order beam has no deflection, but the first order beam has a deflection from the zeroth order beam. The first splitter is coupled to the HOE unit, so as to lead the zeroth order beam and the first order beam to the objective lens. The two light beams then is led to the bio-chip through the objective lens. The first order beam is refracted by the objective lens, so that the first order beam is incident onto the sample of the bio-chip by a specific incident angle. If the sample contains the particular component, a fluorescent light is emitted from the sample. The bio-chip also reflects the zeroth order beam, which together with the fluorescent light travel back through the objective lens and reach the first splitter. The second splitter, which is coupled to the first splitter, then splits the two beams. A portion of the beams after the second splitter is led to the servo signal generating system, which is coupled to second splitter. The servo signal generating system accordingly generates a focusing signal and a tracking signal, which are used to control a shift of the bio-chip to a desired location. The beams passes through the second splitter is further filtered by the filter, and then is sensed by a signal sensor, so as to detecting the florescent light. The fluorescent light is generated by the sample contain the particular component. In this manner, the samples are sieved.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5166813 (1992-11-01), Metz
patent: 6159681 (2000-12-01), Zebala
patent: 6205354 (2001-03-01), Gellermann et al.
Huang Der-Ray
Ju Jau-Jiu
Yang Tzu-Ping
Evans Fannie L.
Huang Jiawei
Industrial Technology Research Institute
J.C. Patents
Punnoose Roy M.
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