Abstract: An optical system and method for illuminating an object under investigation with filtered light is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a filter wheel having a plurality of variable bandpass filters. The filter wheel is rotatable about two axis, whereby rotation about the first axis brings a selected filter in line with a collimated beam of white light and rotation about the second axis adjusts the angle of the filter relative to the light beam in order to adjust the bandpass frequencies. A second beam of white light, which may be from a second light source, can also be reflected off of the face of the filter in a manner that illuminates the object with substantially white light. In one embodiment, the object may be alternately or simultaneously illuminated with filtered light or with reflected white light. The filter can be used as a bandstop or band rejection filter to illuminate the object with white light that is missing a narrow frequency band.

Abstract: An optical system and method for illuminating an object under investigation with filtered light is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a filter wheel having a plurality of variable bandpass filters. The filter wheel is rotatable about two axis, whereby rotation about the first axis brings a selected filter in line with a collimated beam of white light and rotation about the second axis adjusts the angle of the filter relative to the light beam in order to adjust the bandpass frequencies. A second beam of white light, which may be from a second light source, can also be reflected off of the face of the filter in a manner that illuminates the object with substantially white light. In one embodiment, the object may be alternately or simultaneously illuminated with filtered light or with reflected white light. The filter can be used as a bandstop or band rejection filter to illuminate the object with white light that is missing a narrow frequency band.

Abstract: The micropipette puller of this invention includes a pair of gripping jaws that pull a length of glass tubing in opposite directions. The source of heat is a laser device and a laser beam is directed against the glass tubing between the gripping jaws and beyond the tubing into a concave mirror, which reflects that portion of the beam that bypassed the tubing, back against the back side of the tubing for uniform heating around the circumference of the tubing.

Abstract: A micropipette puller of this invention includes a pair of gripping jaws that pull a length of glass tubing in opposite directions. The source of heat is a laser and a beam is directed into a zoom lens, or a selected one of a series of lenses, so that a beam of selected length and configuration is refracted against the glass tubing between the gripping jaws.

Abstract: The micropipette puller of this invention includes a pair of gripping jaws that pull a length of glass tubing in opposite directions. The source of heat is a laser and a beam is directed into a beam directing means, such as a lens or mirror, to refract or reflect the beam against the glass tubing between the gripping jaws. The mirror or lens may be oscillated at various rates and through selected angles in each direction to move the reflected beam a selected amount and at selected rates along a greater length of the glass tubing.

Abstract: A method of forming a micropipette by pulling one end of a glass tubing while the other end is held stationary. A portion of the tubing intermediate the ends thereof is heated and the viscosity of the glass is monitored by measuring the velocity at which the pulled end is moved. When a predetermined velocity is reached, indicating the material has softened sufficiently, the heating and pulling are both stopped. This process may be repeated until the desired pipette tip profile is achieved.