Time resolved optical array detectors and CCD cameras for frequency domain fluorometry and/or phosphorimetry

An apparatus for cross-correlation frequency domain fluorometry-phosphorimetry, which comprises:

• a source of electromagnetic radiation;
• means for amplitude modulating the electromagnetic radiation at a first frequency;
• means for directing the amplitude-modulated electromagnetic radiation at a sample;
• an image intensifier having a photocathode and a microchannel plate intensifier to amplify the luminescence of the sample;
• an optical array detector for detecting the amplified luminescence of the sample;
• means for providing a signal coherent with amplitude modulated signals produced by said amplitude modulating means, at a second frequency, said second frequency being different from said first frequency;
• means for shutting off and turning on said coherent signal providing means in a cycle having a third frequency that is different from the difference between said first and second frequencies.
• means to direct said second frequency signal to the photocathode of the image intensifier;
• means for producing a signal equal in frequency to said third signal to the input of the microchannel plate intensifier to modulate the gain of the image intensifier and produce a resultant signal at a frequency derived from said frequency difference and said third frequency;
• means for reading the amount of luminescence detected by said optical array detector when said coherent signal providing means is off in its cycle of aid third frequency;
• and
• second means for detecting a signal from said reading means at a frequency of said resultant signal to determine phase shift and modulation changes of said luminescence.

An apparatus for cross-correlation frequency domain fluorometry-phosphorimetry, which comprises:

• a pulsed source of electromagnetic radiation having a first pulsation frequency;
• means for directing the pulsed electromagnetic radiation at a sample;
• an image intensifier having a photocathode and a microchannel plate intensifier to amplify the luminescence of the sample;
• an optical array detector for detecting the luminescence of the sample;
• means for providing a signal coherent with pulsed signals produced by said pulsed source of electromagnetic radiation at a second frequency, said second frequency being different from said first frequency;
• means for shutting off and turning on said coherent signal providing means at the second frequency in a cycle having a third frequency that is different from the difference between the first and second frequencies;
• means to direct said second frequency signal to the photocathode of the image intensifier;
• means for producing a signal equal in frequency to said third signal to the input of the image intensifier to modulate the gain of the image intensifier and produce a resultant signal at a frequency derived from said frequency difference and said third frequency;
• means for reading the amount of luminescence detected by said optical array detector when said coherent signal providing means is off in its cycle of said third frequency;
• and
• second means for detecting a signal from said reading means at a frequency of said resultant signal to determine phase shift and modulation changes of said luminescence.