EMCCD detector, as well as a spectrometer and a microscope having an EMCCD detector

• US 7,391,000 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Seyfried, Volker, Schreiber, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps; Georgia Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, DON J
• Application Number:
  US11/251,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20060081769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 250/458.1, 250/586, 250/214.R, 250/216, 250/221, 250/222.1, 250/207, 250/214.1, 250/282, 250/290, 250/292, 359/487, 359/577, 359/578, 356/300, 356/318, 356/301
• US Class Current: 250/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/44 Electric circuits for command of an exposure part G03B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2803 using photoelectric array detector
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 40/14 Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the tube and not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An EMCCD detector includes a first gain register and a photoactive area divided into at least a two detection regions. At least one of the detection regions is assigned to the first gain register.

Claims

1. A spectrometer including an EMCCD detector comprising:

a first gain register;

a second gain register; and

a photoactive area divided into at least a first and a second detection region, the first detection region being assigned to the first gain register and the second detection region being assigned to the second gain register,

wherein the first and a second detection regions each have a respective different size, and

wherein the EMCCD detector has a configuration of a line detector, and further comprising a dispersive optical element configured to spatially and spectrally separate a beam of light so as to enable an imaging of the beam into a focal line on the EMCCD detector.

2. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the photoactive area is configured to detect light in a microscope.

3. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first gain register is a shared gain register.

4. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 further comprising a third and a fourth detection region, and wherein third detection region is assigned to the first gain register and the fourth detection region is assigned to the second gain register.

5. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 further comprising a third detection region assigned to the first gain register.

6. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second detection regions are each disposed in a configuration of a point detector.

7. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second detection regions are each disposed in a configuration of a one-dimensional detector.

8. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second detection regions are disposed in a configuration of a two-dimensional detector.

9. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second detection regions are disposed in a configuration of a three-dimensional detector.

10. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second detection regions are disposed along a line, the first and second gain registers being disposed perpendicular to the line.

11. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second gain registers have respective different gains or gain factors.

12. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second gain registers each have a respectively adjustable respective gain or gain factor.

13. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second gain registers have a jointly adjustable gain or gain factor.

14. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 further comprising a parallel-processing electronic processing circuit configured to process generated electrical signals.

15. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 further comprising a signal adding device configured to add together respective detection signals generated by the first and second detection regions.

16. The spectrometer as recited in claim 1 wherein the first gain register and the photoactive area are included in a chip or module.