Organism Identification

Abstract

A system for the identification of micro-organisms includes an irradiation unit adapted to sequentially provide coherent electromagnetic radiation of one or more wavelengths along a common optical path. A holder is adapted to retain a substrate having a surface adapted for growth of a micro-organism colony. A beamsplitter is adapted to direct the coherent electromagnetic radiation from the common optical path towards the retained substrate. An imager is arranged opposite the beamsplitter from the retained substrate and is adapted to obtain images of backward-scattered light patterns from the micro-organism colony irradiated by the respective wavelengths of the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation. Some examples provide radiation of multiple wavelengths and include an imager arranged optically downstream of the retained substrate to obtain images of forward-scattered light patterns from the micro-organism colony irradiated by the wavelengths of radiation. Organism identification methods are also described.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A system for the identification of micro-organisms, the system comprising:
 an irradiation unit adapted to sequentially provide coherent electromagnetic radiation of multiple wavelengths along a common optical path;   a holder adapted to retain a substrate having a surface adapted for growth of a micro-organism colony;   a beamsplitter adapted to direct the coherent electromagnetic radiation from the common optical path towards the retained substrate; and   an imager arranged opposite the beamsplitter from the retained substrate and adapted to obtain images of backward-scattered light patterns from the micro-organism colony irradiated by the respective wavelengths of the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation.   
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , further comprising a stage adapted to translate the retained substrate or the beamsplitter with respect to each other so that the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation irradiates the micro-organism colony. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 17 , further comprising a controller configured to:
 operate the stage and the irradiation unit to irradiate a first colony of a plurality of micro-organism colonies on the retained substrate;   operate the imager to obtain a first image and a second image of backward-scattered light patterns from the first colony, the first image corresponding to a first wavelength and the second image corresponding to a second, different wavelength;   subsequently, operate the stage and the irradiation unit to irradiate a second colony of the plurality of micro-organism colonies on the retained substrate; and   operate the imager to obtain a third image and a fourth image of backward-scattered light patterns from the second colony, the third image corresponding to a third wavelength and the fourth image corresponding to a fourth wavelength different from the third wavelength.   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the irradiation unit comprises:
 multiple sources for the respective wavelengths of the coherent electromagnetic radiation; and   one or more source beamsplitters configured to direct the coherent electromagnetic radiation from the sources to the common optical path.   
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the source beamsplitters comprise respective pellicle beamsplitters. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the irradiation unit further comprises a sensor configured to detect a level value of the coherent electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine respective level values of the multiple wavelengths using the sensor; and   adjust respective output levels of the coherent electromagnetic radiation of the respective ones of the wavelengths based at least in part on the respective level values and a selected set point.   
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a second imager arranged opposite the retained substrate from the beamsplitter and adapted to obtain images of forward-scattered light patterns from the micro-organism colony irradiated by the respective wavelengths of the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation.   
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a first sensor arranged optically upstream of the retained substrate and configured to detect a first level value of the coherent electromagnetic radiation; and   a second sensor arranged optically downstream of the retained substrate and configured to detect a second level value of the coherent electromagnetic radiation.   
     
     
         25 . A system for the identification of micro-organisms, the system comprising:
 an irradiation unit adapted to provide coherent electromagnetic radiation of a selected wavelength along an optical path;   a holder adapted to retain a substrate having a surface adapted for growth of a micro-organism colony;   a beamsplitter adapted to direct the coherent electromagnetic radiation from the optical path towards the retained substrate; and   an imager arranged opposite the beamsplitter from the retained substrate and adapted to obtain an image of a backward-scattered light pattern from the micro-organism colony irradiated by the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation.   
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a stage adapted to translate the retained substrate or the beamsplitter with respect to each other so that the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation irradiates the micro-organism colony; and   a controller configured to:
 operate the stage and the irradiation unit to successively irradiate ones of a plurality of micro-organism colonies on the retained substrate; and 
 operate the imager to obtain a plurality of images of backward-scattered light patterns from the successively-irradiated micro-organism colonies, the plurality of images including at least first and second images of a first colony at respective, different wavelengths, and third and fourth images of a second, different colony at respective, different wavelengths. 
   
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein:
 the irradiation unit further comprises a sensor configured to detect a level value of the coherent electromagnetic radiation; and   the system further comprises a controller responsive to the level value and a selected set point to adjust an output level of the coherent electromagnetic radiation.   
     
     
         28 . A system for the identification of micro-organisms, the system comprising:
 an irradiation unit adapted to sequentially provide coherent electromagnetic radiation of multiple wavelengths along a common optical path;   a holder adapted to retain a substrate having a surface adapted for growth of a micro-organism colony in operative arrangement to receive the coherent electromagnetic radiation along the common optical path; and   an imager arranged optically downstream of the retained substrate and adapted to obtain images of forward-scattered light patterns from the micro-organism colony irradiated by the respective wavelengths of the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation.   
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a stage adapted to translate the retained substrate or irradiation unit with respect to each other so that the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation irradiates the micro-organism colony; and   a controller configured to:
 operate the stage and the irradiation unit to irradiate a first colony of a plurality of micro-organism colonies on the retained substrate; 
 operate the imager to obtain a first image and a second image of backward-scattered light patterns from the first colony, the first image corresponding to a first wavelength and the second image corresponding to a second, different wavelength. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 29 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 after operating the imager to obtain the first image and the second image, operate the stage and the irradiation unit to irradiate a second colony of the plurality of micro-organism colonies on the retained substrate; and   operate the imager to obtain a third image and a fourth image of backward-scattered light patterns from the second colony, the third image corresponding to a third wavelength and the fourth image corresponding to a fourth wavelength different from the third wavelength.   
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 28 , wherein the irradiation unit comprises:
 multiple sources for the respective wavelengths of the coherent electromagnetic radiation; and   one or more source beamsplitters configured to direct the coherent electromagnetic radiation from the sources to the common optical path.   
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein the sources comprise respective lasers and each source beamsplitters comprises at least one of a pellicle beamsplitter or a cage mount. 
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 28 , wherein:
 the irradiation unit further comprises a sensor configured to detect a level value of the coherent electromagnetic radiation;   the level value corresponds to a selected one of the wavelengths; and   the system further comprises a controller responsive to the level value and a selected set point to adjust an output level of the coherent electromagnetic radiation of the selected one of the wavelengths.   
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 33 , wherein:
 the sensor is arranged substantially upstream of the retained substrate along the common optical path; and   the system further comprises a second sensor arranged optically downstream of the retained substrate and configured to detect a second level value of the coherent electromagnetic radiation.   
     
     
         35 . The system according to  claim 34 , further comprising a computation unit configured to determine an optical density of the micro-organism colony irradiated by the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation based at least in part on the level value and the second level value.