StreamLine Plus sets the standard for fast chemical imaging
Unparalleled speed and versatility are the result of hardware, software, optics, mechanics and electronics working together in perfect synergy
Renishaw plc will be showing its latest generation of fast Raman imaging systems - StreamLine Plus, at the 60th Pittsburgh conference on analytical chemistry and applied spectroscopy (8-13 March 2009, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, USA. Booth #2008). To meet the market requirement for everfaster chemical imaging systems, Renishaw has combined hardware, software, and firmware to optimise data collection, visualisation, and processing.
StreamLine Plus is the fastest fully-scaleable Raman imaging system available in the market place today - it is possible to use readout times as short as 6 ms per spectrum; a high-quality image of an entire tablet can be collected in less than 4 minutes. The combination of line focus (which minimises sample damage), a high-speed encoded stage (HSES), and synchronised readout of the CCD detector enables images to be collected both rapidly and at variable spatial resolution. There are no limits to the image area dimensions imposed by the objective field of view, therefore maximising adaptability and eliminating the need to stitch images together for large area coverage, resulting in artefact-free results.
The integration of the latest WiRE 3.1 software with StreamLine Plus offers numerous benefits to Raman users. Regions of interest are simple to set up using optical micrograph montages; experiments can be queued and chemical images can be viewed and manipulated during acquisition, and a comprehensive suite of visualisation and chemometric tools are available to process and analyse the collected data. The result is an intuitive workflow from sample loading to final reporting WiRE 3.1 also offers a range of new features including full support for multiple detectors, automatic spectrometer configuration for rapid “hands-free” excitation wavelength changes, and enhanced integration tools for third party products (tandem systems).
Dr Nick Stone, from Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, routinely uses StreamLine for screening biopsies, and comments: "To date, histological application of Raman mapping has been limited due to lengthy mapping times. Streamline Raman imaging is a novel mapping technique that has reduced total mapping times to a level that is becoming clinically practicable." With StreamLine Plus a further 2 to 4 fold reduction in analysis time would be expected.
