Imaging spectrometer fundamentals for researchers in the biosciences--a tutorial.

Over the last 2 years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of bioscience laboratories using wavelength dispersive spectroscopy to study in vivo, in situ fluorescence. Transforming spectral information into an image provides a graphic means of mapping localized ionic, molecular, and protein-protein interactions. Spectroscopy also enables fluorophores with overlapping spectral features to be delineation. In this study, we provide the tools that a researcher needs to put into perspective instrumental contributions to a reported spectrum in order to gain greater understanding of the natural emission of the sample. We also show how to deduce the basic capabilities of a spectral confocal system. Finally, we show how to determine the true spectral bandwidth of an object, the illuminated area of a laser-excited object, and what is needed to optimize light throughput.