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Instrument Components
The main components of the GenePix
®
4100A Microarray Scanner are
described below.
Protective Enclosure
The protective enclosure protects the user from exposure to laser
radiation, high voltage, and moving parts.
Optics
The 4100A Microarray Scanner uses a laser-excitation based
fluorescence scanning and imaging system. The optical system consists
of excitation light, mirrors, lenses, filters, and photo-detection.
Lasers
In the 4100A Microarray Scanner standard configuration, laser
excitation is provided by individual 532 nm and 635 nm lasers. These
wavelengths correspond to the ideal wavelengths used to excite the
fluorophores Cy3 and Cy5 (GE Healthcare), or other fluorophores with
similar fluorescent characteristics. The individual lasers have been
selected because of their superior optical performance and reliability.
Since the performance of such lasers is often sensitive to external
temperature fluctuations, the scanner uses an active temperature
stabilization design to minimize temperature-based laser fluctuations.
The GenePix 4100A Microarray Scanner provides integrated output
monitoring feedback for each laser to compensate for normal variations
in laser intensity.
Optical Path
Excitation laser light is directed onto the slide after passing through a
series of filters and mirrors. While laser light is by definition very
narrow band, the 4100A Microarray Scanner employs additional optical
filters to make sure that no spurious excitation light is directed onto the
slide. If the laser light impinges on an appropriate fluorophore bound
on the slide, emission light of a longer wavelength is emitted. These
emission photons are directed back through the optical system where
WARNING! Laser Hazard! Do not remove the protective
enclosure. Operating the scanner with the protective enclosure
removed exposes the user to laser radiation.
GenePix_4100A.book Page 25 Friday, October 22, 2010 3:21 PM
