Systems and methods for imaging samples

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

a first light unit having a first set of optical components comprising a first excitation filter, a first dichroic mirror, and a first emission filter altogether configured for light emission at a first band of wavelengths;

a second light unit having a second set of optical components comprising a second excitation filter, a second dichroic mirror, and a second emission filter altogether configured for light emission at a second band of wavelengths; and

a third light unit having a third set of optical components comprising a third excitation filter, a third dichroic mirror, and a third emission filter altogether configured for light emission at a third band of wavelengths;

wherein:

the first, the second, and the third sets of optical components are arranged substantially parallel with each other; and

the first, the second, and the third sets of optical components are selected such that the first, the second, and the third bands of wavelengths have less than 10% of crosstalk.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first light unit further comprises a first light source configured to produce light for exciting a first fluorophore and the first excitation filter has a first excitation band having a first minimum excitation wavelength and a first maximum excitation wavelength, wherein the first minimum excitation wavelength and the first maximum excitation wavelength are within a range of about ±10% of a maximum intensity wavelength of light from the first light source.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first emission filter has a first emission band having a first minimum emission wavelength and a first maximum emission wavelength, wherein the first minimum emission wavelength and the first maximum emission wavelength are within a range of about ±50% of a maximum emission intensity wavelength from the first fluorophores.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first maximum excitation wavelength of the first excitation filter is less than the first minimum emission wavelength of the first emission filter.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first maximum excitation wavelength of the first excitation filter is equal or substantially equal to the first minimum emission wavelength of the first emission filter.

6 . The apparatus of claims 1 , wherein the second light unit further comprises a second light source configured to produce light for exciting a second fluorophore, wherein the second excitation filter has a second excitation band having a second minimum excitation wavelength and a second maximum excitation wavelength, wherein the second minimum excitation wavelength and the second maximum excitation wavelength are within a range of about ±10% of a maximum intensity wavelength of light from the second light source.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second emission filter has a second emission band having a second minimum emission wavelength and a second maximum emission wavelength, wherein the second minimum emission wavelength and the second maximum emission wavelength are within a range of about ±50% of a maximum emission intensity wavelength from the second fluorophore.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the illumination assembly comprises a cooling module coupled to the first light unit and the second light unit, wherein the cooling module comprises a heat sink coupled to a first light source and a second light source.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the cooling module comprises a cooling fluid and the heat sink comprises a plurality of fins immersed in the cooling fluid.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first light source comprises a first light emitting diode (LED) and the second light source comprises a second LED.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first LED and the second LED are each capable of operating at a supplied electrical current between 15 amperes and 30 amperes.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first LED and the second LED are in thermal contact with at least a portion of the heat sink.

13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first LED is thermally isolated via an insulating gasket from the first set of optical components of the first light unit and the second LED is thermally isolated via the insulating gasket from the second set of optical components of the second light unit.

14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first set of optical components of the first light unit comprises a first collimating lens coupled to the first LED and the second set of optical components of the second light unit comprises a second collimating lens coupled to the second LED.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first light unit comprises a first leaf monospring for securing the first emission filter and the second light unit comprises a second leaf monospring for securing the second emission filter.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first emission filter comprises a notch on a side of the first emission filter, wherein the notch is configured to ensure that the first emission filter is mounted correctly in a designated orientation.

17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first set of optical components are aligned along a first optical axis, the second set of optical components are aligned along a second optical axis, and the third set of optical components are aligned along a third optical axis; and

wherein the first, the second, and the third sets of optical components are arranged substantially parallel with respect to one another such that the first, the second, and the third optical axes are substantially parallel.

18 . A system comprising:

a housing having the apparatus of claim 1 therein; and

a movable platform on which the housing is secured, the movable platform operable to move in a first direction between a first position for illuminating a sample using the first light unit and a second position for illuminating the sample using the second light unit.

19 . An apparatus, comprising:

a first light unit having a first light source and a first set of optical components comprising a first excitation filter, a first adjustable aperture between the first light source and the first excitation filter, a first dichroic mirror, and a first emission filter altogether configured for light emission at a first band of wavelengths, wherein the components of the first set of optical components are aligned along a first optical axis, and the first adjustable aperture is adjustable along the first optical axis to regulate light travelling along the first optical axis and block off-axis rays passing through a center of the first adjustable aperture; and

a second light unit having a second light source and a second set of optical components comprising a second excitation filter, a second adjustable aperture between the second light source and the second excitation filter, a second dichroic mirror, and a second emission filter altogether configured for light emission at a second band of wavelengths, wherein the components of the second set of optical components are aligned along a second optical axis, and the second adjustable aperture is adjustable along the second optical axis to regulate light travelling along the second optical axis and block off-axis rays passing through a center of the second adjustable aperture;

wherein the first and the second sets of optical components are selected such that the first band of wavelengths and the second band of wavelengths have less than 10% of crosstalk.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a third light unit having a third light source and a third set of optical components comprising a third excitation filter, a third adjustable aperture between the third light source and the third excitation filter, a third dichroic mirror, and a third emission filter altogether configured for light emission at a third band of wavelengths;

wherein the first, the second, and the third sets of optical components are arranged substantially parallel with each other, and wherein the first, the second, and the third sets of optical components are selected such that the first band of wavelengths, the second band of wavelengths, and the third band of wavelengths have less than 10% of crosstalk.