Integrated optoelectronic system for measuring fluorescence or luminescence emission decay

• US 20060132765A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alverix, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Alverix, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Fouquet, Julie E., Helbing, Rene P., Hardcastle, Ian, Petrilla, John Francis, Grot, Annette C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,391,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6408 with measurement of decay time, time resolved fluorescence

Abstract

An optoelectronic system for measuring fluorescence or luminescence emission decay, including (a) a light source being a light emitting diode, a semiconductor laser or a flash tube; (b) a first integrated circuit comprising at least one circuit causing the light source to emit light pulses towards a sample which causes a fluorescence or luminescence emission from the sample; (c) a photodiode detecting the emission; (d) a second integrated circuit comprising a detection analysis system determining information about the sample by analyzing decay of the detected emission; and (e) an enclosure enclosing the light source, the first integrated circuit, the second integrated circuit and the photodiode.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a light source being a light emitting diode, a semiconductor laser or a flash tube;

an integrated circuit operable to cause the light source to emit light pulses towards a sample which causes a fluorescence or luminescence emission from the sample;

a detector detecting the emission;

a detection analysis system determining information about the sample by analyzing decay of the detected emission; and

an enclosure enclosing the light source, the integrated circuit and the detection analysis system.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate on which the integrated circuit and the detection analysis system are mounted.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate on which the integrated circuit, the light source and the detection analysis system are mounted.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit comprises:

a clock circuit producing a clock signal; and

a light source drive circuit driving the light source in accordance with the clock signal to emit the light pulses towards the sample.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit comprises:

a clock circuit producing a clock signal;

a light source drive circuit driving the light source in accordance with the clock signal to emit the light pulses towards the sample; and

a variable delay circuit producing a variable delay used by the detection analysis system to detect the emission.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the detection analysis system comprises:

a detection analysis system integrated circuit comprising a gated integrator generating an electrical signal; and

a signal processor processing the electrical signal, to thereby determine the information about the sample.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the signal processor is on the detection analysis system integrated circuit.

8. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the detector is a photodiode.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the detector is a photodiode.

10. An apparatus as in claim 6, further comprising:

a substrate on which the integrated circuit and the detection analysis system integrated circuit are mounted.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the detection analysis system comprises:

a detection analysis system integrated circuit comprising a time-to-pulse-height converter;

a multi-channel analyzer; and

a signal processor, wherein the time-to-pulse-height converter, the multi-channel analyzer and the signal processor operate together to determine the information about the sample from the detected emission.

12. An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the multi-channel analyzer is on the detection analysis system integrated circuit.

13. An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the multi-channel analyzer and the signal processor are on the detection analysis system integrated circuit.

14. An apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising:

a display device displaying the information, wherein the display device is on the substrate and enclosed by the enclosure.

15. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the detector is enclosed by the enclosure.

16. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:

a first lens to direct the light pulses from the light source towards the sample; and

a second lens to direct the emission from the sample towards the detector, wherein the first and second lens are properly aligned and enclosed by the enclosure.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a light source being a light emitting diode, a semiconductor laser or a flash tube;

an integrated circuit operable to cause the light source to emit light pluses towards a sample which causes a fluorescence or luminescence emission from the sample;

a photodiode detecting the emission;

a detection analysis system determining information about the sample by analyzing decay of the detected emission; and

an enclosure enclosing the light source;

the integrated circuit, the photodiode and the detection analysis system.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising:

a substrate on which the integrated circuit and the detection analysis system are mounted.

19. An apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising:

a substrate on which the integrated circuit, the light source and the detection analysis system are mounted.

20. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the integrated circuit comprises:

a clock circuit producing a clock signal; and

a light source drive circuit driving the light source in accordance with the clock signal to emit the light pulses towards the sample.

21. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the integrated circuit comprises:

a clock circuit producing a clock signal;

a light source drive circuit driving the light source in accordance with the clock signal to emit the light pulses towards the sample; and

a variable delay circuit producing a variable delay used by the detection analysis system to detect the emission.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a light source being a light emitting diode, a semiconductor laser or a flash tube;

a first integrated circuit operable to cause the light source to emit light pulses towards a sample which causes a fluorescence or luminescence emission from the sample;

a photodiode detecting the emission;

a second integrated circuit comprising a detection analysis system determining information about the sample by analyzing decay of the detected emission; and

an enclosure enclosing the light source, the first integrated circuit, the second integrated circuit and the photodiode.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a light source emitting light pulses towards a sample which cause a fluorescence or luminescence emission from the sample;

a detector detecting the emission;

a detection analysis system determining information about the sample by analyzing decay of the detected emission;

a first lens directing the light pulses from the light source towards the sample;

a second lens directing the emission from the sample towards the detector; and

an enclosure enclosing the light source, the detector, the detection analysis system, the first lens and the second lens, wherein the light source, the detector, the first lens and the second lens are properly aligned inside the enclosure.