6. Optical System
2004-10
Technical Manual for sunrise RC, TW, TS, TC, BC, 6F No. T 137 302 Rev No. 1.1
6-1
6. Optical System
6.1 Introduction
This chapter contains the description of the optical system and how the parts are
to be replaced and adjusted.
This chapter refers only to the Sunrise Remote
Control Reader.
For additional information about options like Tuneable
Wavelength, please refer to chapter 2.2.2 Variations of sunrise.
Note:
Whenever parts of the optical system are changed, check the adjustment
of the system and perform QC-Pac II test to be sure that the instrument is
working properly.
6.2 Optical System Description
The Powerboard supplies a voltage to the halogen lamp. To eliminate the IR light
above 750 nm, a heat absorbance filter is installed after the mirror. The light
beam is then reflected by the mirror. The beam passes from the mirror to the
optical lens.
The focused beam is passed through the wavelength filter so that the correct
wavelength of light is obtained.
After passing through the filter the beam falls onto the fiber optic unit which
distributes the available light into the 13 beams: 12 measurement beams and a
reference beam.
The fiber optic unit projects the 12 narrow measurement light beams upwards
through a row of the sample wells in the microplate.
The reference beam is passed through a hole in the transport box to the
reference diode which measures and controls the amount of light that passes
through the filter.
The reference diode is used to keep the level of light that passes through the filter
constant for each measurement and filter. The light level is kept constant by
altering the voltage supplied to the lamp from the Powerboard .
After light beams have passed through the samples they are focused by lens and
their intensity is measured by 12 diodes which are located directly above the
sample wells, one diode for each row of wells.
The light intensity measured by the 12 diodes, is amplified and converted into a
digital value by the Mainboard .
For normal measurements the light intensity is measured on three points on the
well each six times. The microprocessor uses these digital values to calculate the
Optical Density of the sample.
