Fast time-correlated multi-element photon detector and method
| DWPI Title: Photon detection system for use in confocal microscope, has pulsed laser periodically emitting laser pulses of coherent electromagnetic energy, and fast photodiode detector generating electrical pulse |
| Abstract: Photons emitted from a sample responsive to being excited by laser pulses are directed through a prism onto a photomultiplier tube having several spaced-apart anodes. The prism alters the path of each photon as a function of its wavelength so that the wavelength determines the anode to which the photon is directed. Taps of first and second delay lines that are coupled to respective alternating anodes. When an anode receives the photon, it generates a pulse that propagates through the delay line in opposite directions from its associated tap. A timer determines first and second times from the laser pulse to the pulse reaching the first and second ends of the delay line. The difference between the first and second times corresponds to the wavelength of the emitted photon and the sum of the first and second times corresponds to the emission delay of the emitted photon. |
| Use: Used in a confocal microscope for determining wavelength and delay time of a photon emitted from a sample (all claimed). |
| Advantage: The system is capable of simultaneously measuring the wavelengths and delay times of emitted photons from the sample in a rapid and easy manner, thus quickly obtaining sufficient data to provide an accurate graph of fluorescence lifetime. The system is able to obtain additional information that is not measured by the photon detectors from fluorescent dyes in the sample before the dyes bleach from exposure to the exciting light from the laser, thus simultaneously and continuously recordings the entire fluorescence spectrum and lifetime. The system provides information on the correlation between the fluorescence wavelength and lifetime that is not available from spectral and lifetime measurement, thus detecting multiple dyes fluorescing at different wavelengths at the same time without having to rescan the sample. |
| Novelty: The system (10) has pulsed laser (14) periodically emitting laser pulses (16) of coherent electromagnetic energy. A fast photodiode detector (30) of the system generates a corresponding electrical pulse (32) at an output of an amplifier (34), where the electrical pulse (32) is applied to a discriminator (40). A path taken by the laser pulse directs the pulse to a sample (50). Outputs of constant fraction discriminators (72, 76, 84, 86) of the system applied to integrators (90) is formed by a constant current source (92). |
| Filed: 8/22/2005 |
| Application Number: US2005209353A |
| Tech ID: SD 8531.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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