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Measurement of nanosecond time‐resolved fluorescence with a directly gated interline CCD camera
Author(s) -
Mitchell A. C.,
Wall J. E.,
Murray J. G.,
Morgan C. G.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2818.2002.01030.x
Subject(s) - image intensifier , nanosecond , charge coupled device , image sensor , optics , image resolution , temporal resolution , laser , physics , fluorescence , materials science , optoelectronics , computer science
Summary CCD cameras coupled optically to gated image intensifiers have been used for fast time‐resolved measurements for some years. Image intensifiers have disadvantages, however, and for some applications it would be better if the image sensor could be gated directly at high speed. Control of the ‘charge drain’ function on an interline‐transfer CCD allows the sensor to be switched rapidly from an insensitive state. The temporal and spatial properties of the charge drain are explored in the present paper and it is shown that nanosecond time resolution with acceptable spatial uniformity can be achieved for a small commercial sensor. A fluorescence lifetime imaging system is demonstrated, based on a repetitively pulsed laser excitation source synchronized to the CCD control circuitry via a programmable delay unit.