Frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime optrode system design and instrumentation without a concurrent reference...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering
• Optical Sensing

Background:

• Frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime (FDFL) optrodic sensing traditionally requires a reference LED.
• This reference LED is used to measure phase shifts related to fluorophore fluorescence lifetime changes.
• A reference LED is typically matched to the sensor fluorophore emission wavelength.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, develop, and implement an improved FDFL optrodic sensing instrumentation approach.
• To create a reference-LED-free FDFL system.
• To test this novel approach using an oxygen optrode.

Main Methods:

• Optimized electronics and optics for the FDFL system.
• Determined key system parameters, including inherent system phase shifts.
• Tested the reference-LED-free FDFL approach with an oxygen optrode.

Main Results:

• Successfully designed, developed, and implemented a reference-LED-free FDFL instrumentation platform.
• Observed improvements in key performance characteristics of the oxygen optrode.
• Validated the feasibility of the novel instrumentation approach.

Conclusions:

• The developed reference-LED-free FDFL instrumentation enhances optrode sensor performance.
• This system can be adapted for various analyte-selective fluorophores.
• Expands the application of optrodic sensors in biology, medicine, and agriculture research.