Analysis of fluorescence decay by the nonlinear least squares method

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Fluorescence decay analysis is crucial for understanding molecular dynamics.
• Nonlinear least squares fitting of multiexponential functions requires convolution integral computation.
• Accurate deconvolution is essential for determining fluorescence lifetimes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a computationally efficient and accurate method for fluorescence decay deconvolution.
• To address limitations of existing numerical methods in calculating convolution integrals.
• To improve the fitting of multiexponential decay functions in fluorescence spectroscopy.

Main Methods:

• Proposed a linear approximation for the instrument response function in convolution integral calculation.
• Employed nonlinear least squares method for multiexponential function fitting.
• Utilized simulated fluorescence data for deconvolution analysis.

Main Results:

• The linear approximation method provides a viable alternative for convolution integral computation.
• Demonstrated improved performance of the linear approximation when decay lifetimes are comparable to the data sampling interval.
• Deconvolution analysis of simulated data confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Conclusions:

• The linear approximation offers a practical approach for enhancing fluorescence decay deconvolution analysis.
• This method is particularly advantageous for datasets with specific lifetime characteristics.
• The findings contribute to more precise characterization of fluorescence decay processes.