Ultra-small four-emission-point spectral-detection system using seven-dichroic-mirror array.

An ultra-small and highly efficient spectral-detection system for four emission points was developed by integrating an injection-molded-plastic four-lens array, a seven-dichroic-mirror array, and an image sensor as one device. The seven-dichroic-mirror array was further miniaturized compared to our previous four-dichroic-mirror array by measures including reduction of the thickness of each dichroic mirror from 1.0 to 0.

An ultra-small, multi-point, and multi-color photo-detection system with high sensitivity and high dynamic range.

Although multi-point, multi-color fluorescence-detection systems are widely used in various sciences, they would find wider applications if they are miniaturized. Accordingly, an ultra-small, four-emission-point and four-color fluorescence-detection system was developed. Its size (space between emission points and a detection plane) is 15 × 10 × 12 mm, which is three-orders-of-magnitude smaller than that of a conventional system.

A simple and highly sensitive spectroscopic fluorescence-detection system for multi-channel plastic-microchip electrophoresis based on side-entry laser-beam zigzag irradiation.

A five-color fluorescence-detection system for eight-channel plastic-microchip electrophoresis was developed. In the eight channels (with effective electrophoretic lengths of 10 cm), single-stranded DNA fragments were separated (with single-base resolution up to 300 bases within 10 min), and seventeen-loci STR genotyping for forensic human identification was successfully demonstrated. In the system, a side-entry laser beam is passed through the eight channels (eight A channels), with alternately arrayed seven sacrificial channels (seven B channels), by a technique called "side-entry laser-beam zigzag irradiation.