Abstract: An assay technique for label-free, highly parallel, qualitative and quantitative detection of specific cell populations in a sample and for assessing cell functional status, cell-cell interactions and cellular responses to drugs, environmental toxins, bacteria, viruses and other factors that may affect cell function.

Abstract: A grating coupled surface plasmon resonance optical modulator is disclosed. A electro-optic polymer dielectric is deposited on the metallic surface of a diffraction grating to provide a metal/dielectric interface. A surface plasmon will propagate at the metal/dielectric interface in a resonant condition, e.g., when the metal surface is illuminated by transverse magnetic (TM) polarized light of the appropriate wavelength, angle of incidence and phase velocity. In the present invention, phase velocity is controlled by the diffraction grating. A transparent electrode deposited on the electro-optic layer allows an electrical potential to be applied across the electro-optic polymer. The applied electrical potential (voltage) changes the index of refraction of the electro-optic polymer, thereby disrupting the resonant condition to produce an optically detectable change in reflectance of incident light from the metal layer.

Abstract: A grating coupled surface plasmon resonance optical modulator is disclosed. A electro-optic polymer dielectric is deposited on the metallic surface of a diffraction grating to provide a metal/dielectric interface. A surface plasmon will propagate at the metal/dielectric interface in a resonant condition, e.g., when the metal surface is illuminated by transverse magnetic (TM) polarized light of the appropriate wavelength, angle of incidence and phase velocity. In the present invention, phase velocity is controlled by the diffraction grating. A transparent electrode deposited on the electro-optic layer allows an electrical potential to be applied across the electro-optic polymer. The applied electrical potential (voltage) changes the index of refraction of the electro-optic polymer, thereby disrupting the resonant condition to produce an optically detectable change in reflectance of incident light from the metal layer.

Abstract: A phase fluorometer apparatus and method for protein dynamics characterization where a sample is excited with a polarized light, sinusoidally modulated at a single frequency, and the phase difference between polarization components of the emission is detected and processed. The phase difference depending on the modulation frequency, the rate of fluorophore rotation, and the freedom and isotropy of these rotations. The apparatus and method allows information to be collected on the time dependence of the emission anisotropy of a protein of interest and further allows for a ranking of proteins relative to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus and method, which uses luminescence phase-sensitive detection, for improving the detection sensitivity of luminescence molecular recognition assays in which the analytical luminescence signal contains two components, each arising from a different state of the luminophore and each having a characteristic luminescence lifetime that is different from that of the other.

Abstract: The present invention is a compact instrument capable of operating as a steady-state fluorimeter or as a phase fluorometer, and thus it is able to measure steady-state fluorescence intensity and fluorescence lifetime from a fluorescent sample. The light source provides four user-selectable excitation wavelengths generated by light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and has an autocalibration feature and a means to compensate for phase measurement errors due to phase-amplitude crosstalk in the detection electronics.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for imaging and documenting fingerprints. A fluorescent dye brought in intimate proximity with the lipid residues of a latent fingerprint is caused to fluoresce on exposure to light energy. The resulting fluorescing image may be recorded photographically.

Abstract: A phase fluorometer employs a baseband frequency generator to generate a sample baseband signal at a first frequency f.sub.o and a reference signal correlated to the sample baseband signal. A second signal generator generates a carrier signal having a second frequency f. The sample baseband signal and the carrier signal are combined to form an up-converted sample signal having a frequency f.+-.f.sub.o. A light source is modulated at the up-converted sample signal frequency f.+-.f.sub.o to illuminate a sample. A photo detector detects fluorescence emissions from a sample excited by the excitation light and converts the emission into a fluorescence signal. A down-converter combines the carrier signal and fluorescence signal to form a phase-shifted and down-converted sample signal. A processor digitally processes the phase-shifted and demodulated sample signal and the reference signal to determine the fluorescence lifetime.

Abstract: Fluorescence immunoassay for determining single or multiple analytes based upon a single measurement of fluorescence are described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy is described in which laser light from a single pulse is used to excite fluorescent photons in a sample, which fluorescence is detected by a PMT optimized for linearity and response time to produce photoelectrons which generate a current at the PMT anode. This current is discharged through an R/C network to produce a voltage amplitude waveform which is converted to an optical image, intensified, stored and digitized. The digitized version of the optical image is processed in a data processor to calculate the true fluorescence impulse response.