Tecan's quad4 technology gives fast, sensitive and accurate microplate readings without the need for filter optimization

23 Oct 2006

Product news

Tecan's exclusive quad4 technology, featured in its Infinite™ M200 and Safire2™ microplate readers, blocks stray light by a factor of 106 more than typical dual monochromator configurations, improving sensitivity and quality of wavelength spectra without the need for filter optimization.

Unwanted stray light and the resulting background noise are the most critical factors affecting performance and sensitivity of microplate readers. Monochromators typically reduce undesired wavelengths by a factor of 103, so using four monochromators instead of the usual two blocks significantly more stray light and reduces background noise while enabling full wavelength flexibility.

The quad4 technology consists of two monochromators for excitation and two monochromators for emission, connected in series. Using four monochromators gives a true spectral scan with none of the artificial peak shifts that can be caused by using cut-off filters combined with a monochromator, resulting in incorrect peak maximums. The unique design of the monochromator concept allows the microplate readers to perform fluorescence scans up to six times faster than comparable instruments that contain two monochromators combined with cut-off filters. The quad4 technology provides consistent performance over the whole wavelength spectrum and you can tune in any wavelength without having to optimize filters.

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MicroplatesMicroplates are multi-well plates used to increase the throughput of biological investigations. The number of wells microplates contain can range from 6 to 3243 wells, with the 96-well format being the most commonly used. Microplates can come tailored for a range of applications including cell culture, PCR, filtration, storage, non-binding surface, protein crystallization, as well as pre-coated, deep well and normal Standard microplates. Additionally, options for microplate colors include clear , black, white or black with clear bottom and white with clear bottom for absorbance microplate reader applications. Find the best microplates for your lab in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Microplate Readers / DetectorsMicroplate readers are used to automate the detection and analysis of labeled or label-free components in microplates during assays or live-cell monitoring. Microplate readers are generally distinguished by their mode of detection. Types include absorbance, luminescence, fluorescence intensity, fluorescence polarization, TRF / FRET and multimode microplate readers. Microplate readers deliver a high throughput of samples by reading multiple wells simultaneously, with the 96-well format the most commonly used. As a result, microplate readers are often used in the drug discovery, bioassays, research and pharmaceutical industries for screening applications. Microplate loading can also be automated, with robotic microplate stackers to increase throughput. Find the best microplate readers in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.
Tecan's quad4 technology gives fast, sensitive and accurate microplate readings without the need for filter optimization