# US 10,119,912 B2 · Apparatus for use in luminescence applications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,912 B2 - Document ID: US10119912B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/805,322 - Filed: 2017-11-07 - Published: 2018-03-22 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-18 - Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited - Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited - Inventors: Francescopaolo Mattioli Della Rocca; John Kevin Moore - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119912B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/6428: {Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" (in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53)} - G01J 3/0224: {using polarising or depolarising elements} - G01J 3/2823: {Imaging spectrometer} - G01J 3/4406: {Fluorescence spectrometry} - G01N 21/21: Polarisation-affecting properties (G01N21/19 takes precedence) - G01N 21/6408: {with measurement of decay time, time resolved fluorescence} - G01N 21/6445: {Measuring fluorescence polarisation} - G01N 21/6452: {Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates} - G01N 21/6454: {using an integrated detector array} - G01N 21/6456: {Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging} - G01J 2003/2806: {Array and filter array} - G01N 2021/217: {Measuring depolarisation or comparing polarised and depolarised parts of light} - G01N 2021/6439: {with indicators, stains, dyes, tags, labels, marks} - G01N 2201/0683: Brewster plate; polarisation controlling elements - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract Photoluminescence from a sample detector is detected using an array of photo-sensitive detectors. At least one first photo-sensitive detector of the array is provided with a first type of linear polarization filter and at least one second photo-sensitive detector is provided with a second type of linear polarization filter. The first type of linear polarization filter has a plane of polarization which is at angled with respect to a plane of polarization of said second type of polarization filter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a light source configured to emit pulses of light directed towards a sample; a first photo-sensitive detector configured to receive photoluminescence from said sample in response to said pulses of light, said first photo-sensitive detector having a first type of linear polarization filter; a second photo-sensitive detector configured to receive photoluminescence from said sample in response to said pulses of light, said second photo-sensitive detector having a second type of linear polarization filter; wherein said first type of linear polarization filter has a plane of polarization which is angled with respect to a plane of polarization of said second type of polarization filter; wherein each of the first and second linear polarization filters is provided by a grid of parallel wires, wherein a longitudinal extent of said parallel wires defines the plane of polarization; and a signal processor configured to receive output from the first and second photo-sensitive detectors and further configured to trigger the light source to emit said pulses of light, the signal processor operable to separately measure an optical emission lifetime of a first polarization component of said photoluminescence detected by the first photo-sensitive detector and a second polarization component of said photoluminescence detected by the second photo-sensitive detector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors includes at least one single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) and the separate measures of optical emission lifetime relate to single photon counts of signals output by the SPADs. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the measured optical emission lifetime is a lifetime of at least one of homo-Forster Resonance Energy Transfer and hetero-Forster Resonance Energy Transfer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spacing between adjacent wires in the grid of parallel wires is less than a wavelength of the photoluminescence to be detected. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a colored filter over one of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors, wherein there is no colored filter over the other of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors. ### Claim 6 A system, comprising: a light source configured to emit pulses of light directed towards a sample; a sensor array including at least one first photo-sensitive detector having a first type of linear polarization filter and at least one second photo-sensitive detector having a second type of linear polarization filter, wherein said first type of linear polarization filter has a plane of polarization which is angled with respect to a plane of polarization of said second type of polarization filter; wherein each photo-sensitive detector in the sensor array having one of said first and second linear polarization filters is individually provided with a linear polarization filter; a signal processor configured to receive output from the at least one first photo-sensitive detector and the at least one second photo-sensitive detector and further configured to trigger the light source to emit said pulses of light, the signal processor operable to separately measure an optical emission lifetime of a first polarization component of said photoluminescence detected by the at least one first photo-sensitive detector and a second polarization component of said photoluminescence detected by the at least one second photo-sensitive detector, and a colored filter over one of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors, wherein there is no colored filter over the other of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein each photo-sensitive detector of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors comprises a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) and the separate measures of optical emission lifetime relate to single photon counts of signals output by the SPADs. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the measured optical emission lifetime is a lifetime of at least one of homo-Forster Resonance Energy Transfer and hetero-Forster Resonance Energy Transfer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein each individual linear polarization filter comprises a grid of parallel wires, wherein a longitudinal extent of said parallel wires defines the plane of polarization. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a spacing between adjacent wires in the grid of parallel wires is less than a wavelength of the photoluminescence to be detected. ### Claim 11 A system, comprising: a light source configured to emit pulses of light directed towards a sample which emits a photoluminescence in response to said pulses of light; a first splitter configured to receive the emitted photoluminescence and produce a first photoluminescence signal in a first path and a second photoluminescence signal in a second path; wherein the first path is distinct from the second path; a first type of linear polarization filter configured to receive the first photoluminescence signal and output a polarized first photoluminescence signal; a second type of linear polarization filter configured to receive the second photoluminescence signal and output a polarized second photoluminescence signal; a first photo-sensitive detector configured to receive the polarized first photoluminescence signal; a second photo-sensitive detector configured to receive the polarized second photoluminescence signal; and a signal processor configured to receive output from the first and second photo-sensitive detectors and further configured to trigger the light source to emit said pulses of light, the signal processor operable to separately measure an optical emission lifetime of a first polarization component of said photoluminescence from the polarized first photoluminescence signal detected by the first photo-sensitive detector and a second polarization component of said photoluminescence from the polarized second photoluminescence signal detected by the second photo-sensitive detector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors includes at least one single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) and the separate measures of optical emission lifetime relate to single photon counts of signals output by the SPADs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the polarized first photoluminescence signal output from the first type of linear polarization filter is one of horizontally or vertically oriented, and wherein the polarized second photoluminescence signal output from the second type of linear polarization filter is the other of horizontally or vertically oriented. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising a second splitter configured to reflect the emitted pulses of light to be directed towards the sample and further configured to pass the emitted photoluminescence through to the first splitter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a third type of linear polarization filter configured to receive the emitted pulses of light output from the light source and produce polarized pulses of light to be directed towards the sample. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second types of linear polarization filters is provided by a grid of parallel wires, wherein a longitudinal extent of said parallel wires defines a plane of polarization. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein a spacing between adjacent wires in the grid of parallel wires is less than a wavelength of the photoluminescence to be detected. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising a colored filter over one of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors, wherein there is no colored filter over the other of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second photo-sensitive detectors includes at least one single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) and the separate measures of optical emission lifetime relate to single photon counts of signals output by the SPADs.