Fluorometers / Fluorescence Spectrophotometers

A fluorescence spectrophotometer (or fluorometer, fluorospectrometer, or fluorescence spectrometer) measures the fluorescent light emitted from a sample at different wavelengths, after illumination with a xenon flash lamp. Fluorometers can have different channels for measuring differently-colored fluorescent signals (that differ in their wavelengths), such as green and blue, or ultraviolet and blue, channels. Some can also read fluorescent signals for fast, complex experiments, such as time-resolved fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET). Fluorometers hold samples in different ways, including cuvettes, capillaries, Petri dishes, and microplates. Some have optional microplate readers, allowing emission scans in up to 384-well plates, for example. Others models hold the sample in place using surface tension. Fluorometers also vary in the size of samples they accept, with some using very small sample sizes to conserve precious sample materials (down to 0.3 µl). Lightweight, handheld models are also available that detect fluorescent probes used to quantify protein and nucleic acids.