Surface plasmon resonance imaging system and method

1. A surface plasmon resonance imaging system, comprising:

a source of light at a selected wavelength, said light source comprising a light-emitting diode array;

at least one input optical element capable of accepting light from said light source;

a substrate surface, wherein said substrate surface receives light at an incident angle from said at least one input optical element;

a detector for detecting an image from said substrate; and

wherein the LEDs of said LED array are capable of being switchably illuminated.

2. The system of Claim 1 , wherein said at least one input optical element comprises a collimating lens.

3. The system of Claim 1 , wherein said at least one input optical element further comprises at least one filter, said at least one filter disposed between said collimating lens and said substrate surface.

4. The system of Claim 3 , wherein said light source is positioned at the focus of said collimating lens.

5. The system of Claim 1 , wherein said light source and said at least one input optical element are stationary relative to said substrate surface.

6. The system of Claim 1 further comprising at least one output optical element disposed between said sensing surface and said detector.

7. The system of Claim 6 , wherein said at least one output optical element is a lens having a field of view greater than one degree.

8. The system of Claim 6 , wherein said at least one output optical element accepts light from said substrate surface at a range of angles corresponding to the range of angles light is emitted from said collimating lens.

9. The system of Claim 8 , wherein said at least one output optical element is stationary.

10. The system of Claim 1 further comprising a lens disposed between said substrate surface and said detector, said lens for focusing the image from said substrate surface onto said detector;

wherein said substrate surface, said lens and said detector are positioned such that the planes of each of said substrate surface, said lens and said detector intersect at a single line.

11. The system of Claim 1 , wherein the substrate surface comprises the side of a prism.

12. The system of Claim 1 further comprising a resonance film disposed on said substrate surface.

13. The system of Claim 12 , wherein said resonance film comprises gold.

14. The system of Claim 1 , wherein one or more of the LEDs of said LED array is capable of being illuminated to change said incident angle.

15. The system of Claim 1 , wherein said LED array is oriented such that a row of said LED array is perpendicular to the input optical axis and perpendicular to the plane of said system.

16. A surface plasmon resonance imaging system, comprising:

a source of light at a selected wavelength, said light source comprising a switchable light-emitting diode array;

a collimating lens capable of accepting light from said light source;

a sensing interface wherein said interface receives light at an incident angle from said collimating lens and wherein said collimating lens is located in a stationary position relative to said sensing interface; and

a detector for detecting an image received from said sensing interface.

17. A surface plasmon resonance imaging system, comprising:

a source of light at a selected wavelength, wherein said light source is an array of switchable point sources;

a collimating lens capable of accepting light from said light source;

a sensing interface wherein said interface receives light at an incident angle from said collimating lens and wherein said collimating lens is located in a stationary position relative to said sensing interface; and

a detector for detecting an image received from said sensing interface.

18. The system of Claim 16 , wherein said light source is located in a stationary position relative to said sensing surface.

19. The system of Claim 16 further comprising an output lens stationarily disposed between said sensing interface and said detector.

20. The system of Claim 19 , wherein said output lens is capable of accepting light from said sensing interface at a range of angles corresponding to the range of angles light is capable of being emitted from said collimating lens.

21. The system of Claim 19 , wherein said sensing interface, said output lens and said detector are positioned such that the planes of each of said sensing interface, said output lens and surface of said detector intersect in a line.

22. A SPR imaging method for analyzing a sample disposed adjacent to a sensing surface, said method comprising:

providing a light source, said light source comprising a switchable LED array;

providing a collimating lens for collimating light received from said light source on said sensing surface; and

selectively illuminating one or more of the LEDs in said LED array to change the incident angle of the collimated light beam on said sensing surface.

23. The system of Claim 17 further comprising an output lens stationarily disposed between said sensing interface and said detector.

24. The system of Claim 23 , wherein said output lens is capable of accepting light from said sensing interface at a range of angles corresponding to the range of angles light is capable of being emitted from said collimating lens.

25. The system of Claim 23 , wherein said sensing interface, said output lens and said detector are positioned such that the planes of each of said sensing interface, said output lens and surface of said detector intersect in a line.