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A computer‐controlled variable light attenuator for protection and autoranging of a laser‐induced fluorescence detector for capillary zone electrophoresis
Author(s) -
Merz Jerry M.,
Mort Andrew J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
electrophoresis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1522-2683
pISSN - 0173-0835
DOI - 10.1002/elps.1150191232
Subject(s) - attenuator (electronics) , detector , photodetector , optics , attenuation , light intensity , materials science , charge coupled device , dynamic range , laser , optoelectronics , fluorescence , optical attenuator , physics , optical fiber , multi mode optical fiber
Photodetectors have a limited range over which they can measure light intensities for any particular setting. The intensity of light reaching the detector can be kept within this range by using a liquid crystal variable light attenuator controlled by a computer that continuously checks the amount of light reaching the detector and adjusts the attenuation to an appropriate level. Using such a system we have constructed an intensified charge‐coupled device (ICCD) camera‐based detector with a dynamic range of over six orders of magnitude which is never exposed to damaging or saturating light levels.