Note: Rapid measurement of fluorescence lifetimes using SiPM detection and waveform sampling

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Biophysics

Background:

• Fluorescence lifetime measurement offers advantages over intensity measurements, including resistance to photobleaching and independence from external factors.
• Current fluorescence lifetime techniques often require complex, expensive instrumentation and slow data acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a feasible method for measuring fluorescence lifetimes using readily available, cost-effective components.
• To achieve precision comparable to commercial instruments with simpler technology.

Main Methods:

• Utilized off-the-shelf analog silicon photomultipliers for fluorescence detection.
• Employed switched-capacitor array waveform sampling techniques for data acquisition.
• Developed a simplified setup for fluorescence lifetime determination.

Main Results:

• Successfully measured fluorescence lifetimes with high precision.
• Demonstrated that the developed method matches the performance of elaborate commercial instruments.
• Validated the feasibility of using accessible components for accurate fluorescence lifetime measurements.

Conclusions:

• A simplified and cost-effective approach for fluorescence lifetime measurement has been established.
• This method provides a viable alternative to complex commercial systems, making advanced fluorescence techniques more accessible.
• The findings pave the way for wider adoption of fluorescence lifetime measurements in various scientific fields.