Time measurement device, time measurement method, light-emission-lifetime measurement device, and light-emission-lifetime measurement method

12:

• A time measurement device for calculating a time from an input of a first trigger signal to an input of a second trigger signal as a measured time, the time measurement device comprising:
• a first signal generator configured to generate a first signal in response to the first trigger signal;
• a second signal generator configured to generate a second signal in response to the second trigger signal;
• a digital converter configured to receive inputs of the first signal and the second signal and generate a digital signal corresponding to a time from the input of the first signal to the input of the second signal;
• a time delay circuit configured to delay an input of at least one of the first signal and the second signal to the digital converter by a delay time selected from a plurality of preset delay times;
• and
• a time calculator configured to calculate the measured time based on a plurality of digital signals,
• wherein the time delay circuit is configured to select at least two delay times.

17:

• A time measurement method for calculating a time from an input of a first trigger signal to an input of a second trigger signal as a measured time, the time measurement method comprising:
• generating a first signal in response to the first trigger signal;
• generating a second signal in response to the second trigger signal;
• receiving inputs of the first signal and the second signal and generating a digital signal corresponding to a time from the input of the first signal to the input of the second signal, by a digital converter;
• selecting at least two delay times from a plurality of preset delay times;
• delaying an input of at least one of the first signal and the second signal to the digital converter based on the selected at least two delay times;
• and
• calculating the measured time based on a plurality of digital signals generated by the digital converter.

18:

• A light-emission-lifetime measurement device for measuring a lifetime of light emission emitted from a sample, the light-emission-lifetime measurement device comprising:
• a light source configured to output light to be irradiated to the sample;
• a trigger signal generator configured to output a first trigger signal corresponding to the output of the light;
• a photodetector configured to detect light emission from the sample and output a detection signal as a second trigger signal;
• a time measurement device configured to calculate a time from an input of one trigger signal of the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal to an input of the other trigger signal as a measured time;
• and
• a calculator configured to calculate information about the lifetime of the light emission based on the measured time,
• wherein the time measurement device comprises:
• a first signal generator configured to receive the one trigger signal and generate a first signal in response to the one trigger signal;
• a second signal generator configured to receive the other trigger signal and generate a second signal in response to the other trigger signal;
• a digital converter configured to receive inputs of the first signal and the second signal and generate a digital signal corresponding to a time from the input of the first signal to the input of the second signal;
• a time delay circuit configured to delay an input of at least one of the first signal and the second signal to the digital converter by a delay time selected from a plurality of preset delay times;
• and
• a time calculator configured to calculate the measured time based on a plurality of digital signals, and
• wherein the time delay circuit is configured to select at least two delay times.

22:

• A light-emission-lifetime measurement method for measuring a lifetime of light emission emitted from a sample, the light-emission-lifetime measurement method comprising:
• outputting light to be irradiated to the sample;
• outputting a first trigger signal corresponding to the output of the light;
• detecting light emission from the sample and outputting a detection signal as a second trigger signal;
• generating a first signal in response to the one trigger signal;
• generating a second signal in response to the other trigger signal;
• receiving inputs of the first signal and the second signal by a digital converter and generating a digital signal corresponding to a time from the input of the first signal to the input of the second signal;
• selecting at least two delay times from a plurality of preset delay times;
• delaying an input of at least one of the first signal and the second signal to the digital converter based on the selected at least two delay times;
• calculating a measured time based on a plurality of digital signals generated by the digital converter;
• and
• calculating information about the lifetime of the light emission based on the measured time.