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ForeScan 1000 MkII - Forensic Detection System      
           
LaVision BioTec offers the ultimate forensic detection system – the ForeScan 1000 MkII.

The systems combines ultimate spatial resolution in combination with unmatched sensitivity. The instrument is designed for a wide range of applications in the field of forensic investigations as they are:

Document testing

Detection and Discrimination of biological/organic materials on a wide range of substrates:

Fabric
Blood
Semen
Saliva
Hair
Skin (flakes)
Vaginal Secretion and of course general
Fluorescence microscopy application.

The ForeScan 1000 MkII is a laser scanning macroscope that allow imaging as well as fluorescence detection. Advanced optical design delivers ultra sharp images even on rough surfaces like fabric, paper, cardboard, knives and guns.

 
           
           
Advantages of Fluorescence Microscopy      
           
Most samples have very characteristic fluorescence emission spectrum - or in other words the fluorescence emission spectrum is the advanced tool to detect samples on various kinds of substrates. To detect the fluorescence emission spectrum the sample has to be excited. After excitation the sample emits fluorescence light during relaxation process of the excited state. In general samples are exited by blue or UV laser light that is also used with LaVision BioTec’s ForeScan systems.      
           
     
Forensic Stain visible at 454nm Same Sample at 557nm Local Spectral Profile from 320nm to 640nm      
           
Fluorescence Detection      
           
As mentioned in the text above the fluorescence emission spectrum depends strongly on the sample. For analysis the instrument has to discriminate the emission spectrum to correlate it to the sample.

A spectrometer is a very effective tool to detect the fluorescence emission spectrum of the sample. To get the spectral information the fluorescence light has to be focused on the spectrometer that delivers the spectrum directly if its output is focused on a line detector.

The ForeScan 1000 MkII contains a high efficiency 32-channel line detector and a high-speed read-out electronic. This combination that allows fast acquisition of spectral information during the scanning process.

      
           
           
Setup of ForeScan Instruments      
           
General working principle: Laser Scanning imaging and fluorescence macroscope

Laser light source: HeCd laser @ 325 and 442 nm

Laser Scanner: Mirror Scanner

Detection path: Fluorescence light will be collected by high aperture optics and focused on a grating spectrometer. Scanning as well as detection unit will be mounted on a XZ-stage to adapt the system to different samples heights.

Spectral Detection: Detection channel includes grating spectrometer and 32-channel Photomultiplier

Software Package: LaVision BioTec ImSpector including contrast enhancement algorithms for forensic detection.

      
           
           
Differences in between ForeScan 1000 and ForeScan 1000 MkII      
           
The ForeScan 1000 MkII is the advanced update of the ultimate ForeScan 1000 imaging system for forensic stain detection.      
           
     
Principle of Operation: ForeScan 1000      
           
     
Principle of Operation: ForeScan 1000 MKII      
       
       
Tecnical Specifications ForeScan 1000 MkII      
       
Illumination

Helium Cadmium Laser
Power 8 mW @ 325 nm (or better)
25 mW @ 442 nm (or better)


Detection

Advanced Spectrometer including 32-Channel Photo Multiplier
High aperture, high sensitivity fluorescence detection path
UV optimized
Dynamic range > 3 Orders of magnitude


Telescope

For coupling the laser

Computer and Electronics

Synchronization Board
For synchronization of the experiment
Data Acquisition Electronic

Processor 3 GHz, 2048 MB RAM, 200 GB HD, DVD-RAM, 19'' TFT Monitor

Mechanics and housing

Housing for system
Closed housing for scanner and detector
Motorized stages
z direction (25 µm resolution) for focusing purposes
Max translation 90 mm
xy-stage (25 µm resolution) for sample translation
Max translation 470x400 mm2
Optical framework including bench for samples
(The system requests no additional table. and can be placed on the ground of the lab)
Weight will be approximately 100 kg
Dimensions are smaller than 1800(height) X 1350(width) X 1000 (depth) mm3.

Optics

UV-Visible-f theta lens for scanning device
Focal point resolution down to 10 µm
Flat scan field 75 mm diagonal
Laser shutter for security reasons


Scanner

For beam delivery
>100 Hz line frequency
Point stability < 0,06 mrad
Scanner mirrors for 270-700 nm

Software

ImSpector software
32 bit acquisition and visualization software

Microsoft Windows

Control of all hardware components
Special Forensic Package II
Various contrast enhancing methods
Correction of image distortion
Non-linear curve fitting package
Advance linear spectral un-mixing routines