Fluorescence spectrophotometer and wavelength setting method therefor

Claim 2

A fluorescence spectrophotometer comprising: a light source (1); an excitation side spectroscope (2) for separating light emitted by said light source (1) in wavelength and projecting excitation light having a specified wavelength on a sample (3); a fluorescence side spectroscope (4) for separating fluorescence emitted by said sample (3) in wavelength; a detector (5) for detecting light emitted by said fluorescence side spectroscope (4); means (9) for storing a first spectrum, when a first one of said spectroscopes (2, 4) is fixed to an arbitrary wavelength and the wavelength of the other one is scanned; means (9) for storing a second spectrum, when said first one of the spectroscopes (2, 4) is fixed to another wavelength, which is different from said arbitrary wave­length, and the wavelength of the other one is scanned; and means (9) for comparing said first spectrum with said second spectrum and setting said excitation or fluorescence side wavelength for the wavelength when corresponding peaks in the two spectra are approximately in accordance with each other.

Claim 3

A fluorescence spectrophotometer comprising: a light source (1); an excitation side spectroscope (2) for separating light emitted by said light source (1) in wavelength and projecting excitation light having a specified wavelength on a sample (3); a fluorescence side spectroscope (4) for separating fluorescence emitted by said sample (3) in wavelength; a detector (5) for detecting light emitted by said fluorescence side spectroscope (4); means (9) for detecting the peak wavelength obtained when the wavelength of a first one of said spectroscopes (2, 4) is fixed and the wavelength of the second one is scanned; means (9) for storing a first spectrum, when the second spectroscope (2 or 4) is fixed to the detected peak wavelength and the wavelength of the first one is scanned; means (9) for storing a second spectrum, when said second spectroscope (2 or 4) is fixed to another wavelength, which is different from said peak wavelength, and the wavelength of the first one is scanned; and means (9) for comparing said first spectrum with said second spectrum and setting said excitation or fluorescence side wavelength for the wavelength when corresponding peaks in the two spectra are approximately in accordance with each other.

Claim 4

A fluorescence spectrophotometer comprising: a light source (1); an excitation side spectroscope (2) for separating light emitted by said light source (1) in wavelength and projecting excitation light having a specified wavelength on a sample (3); a fluorescence side spectroscope (4) for separating fluorescence emitted by said sample (3) in wavelength; a detector (5) for detecting light emitted by said fluorescence side spectroscope (4); means (9) for detecting the peak wavelength obtained when the wavelength of a first one of said spectroscopes (2, 4) is fixed and the wavelength of the second one is scanned; means (9) for storing a first spectrum, when the second spectroscope (2 or 4) is fixed to the detected peak wavelength and the wavelength of the first one is scanned; means (9) for storing a second spectrum, when said second spectroscope (2 or 4) is fixed to another wavelength, which is different from said peak wavelength, and the wavelength of the first one is scanned; and means (9) for comparing said first spectrum with said second spectrum and setting said excitation or fluorescence side wavelength for the wavelength when corresponding peaks in the two spectra are approximately in accordance with each other.

Claim 5

A fluorescence spectrophotometer according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the wavelength when corresponding peaks in the two spectra are approximately in accordance with each other is a wavelength within a limit determined by the amount of shift in the Raman scattering wavelength due to said sample (3).

Claim 10

A method for setting wavelength in a fluores­cence spectrophotometer according to Claim 4, further comprising the steps of: taking out fluorescence emitted by said sample (3) at said set fluorescence wavelength (Step 42); measuring a third spectrum obtained by scanning continuously the wavelength of the excitation light projected on said sample (3); taking out a wavelength of light emitted by said sample (3), which is different from said fluorescence wavelength; measuring a fourth spectrum obtained by scanning continuously the wavelength of the excitation light projected on said sample (3); and setting the wavelength when corresponding peaks in the two spectra are approximately in accordance with each other for the excitation wavelength exciting said sample (3).

Claim 11

A method for setting wavelength in a fluores­cence spectrophotometer according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the wavelength when corresponding peaks in the two spectra are approximately in accordance with each other is a wavelength within a limit determined by the amount of shift in the Raman scattering wavelength due to said sample (3).

Claim 12

A method for setting wavelength in a fluorescence spectrophotometer according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the difference between said first and said second wavelengths is smaller than the amount of shift in the Raman scattering wavelength due to said sample (3).