Fluorescence emissions detector

• US 9,052,287 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Authentix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Authentix, Inc.
• Inventors: Tinsley, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sung, Christine
• Application Number:
  US13/921,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20130277576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 250/458.1, 250/459.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/46 using a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/4406 Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/10 with diodes parametric amplifiers H03F7/00

Abstract

A light source is gated ON and OFF in response to a pulsed signal. Photo emissions from the light source are coupled to a material under test. Resonant fluorescent emissions from the material are coupled to a photodiode. Current from the photodiode is coupled into an amplifier system comprising a first and second amplifier stages. The first amplifier stage is gated to a low gain when the light source is turned ON and the gain is increased when the light source goes from ON to OFF. The second amplifier stage has digitally programmable offset and gain settings in response to control signals. The output of the second amplifier stage is digitized by an analog to digital converter. A controller generates the pulse control signal and the control signals.

Claims

1. A method of detecting fluorescence emission from a target comprising:

irradiating the target with a light pulse, wherein the light pulse transitions between an on state and an off state;

wherein a first electrical amplifier gain of a first electrical amplifier is reduced while balancing a source impedance of the first electrical amplifier in response to the light pulse being in the on state; and

wherein the first electrical amplifier gain of the first electrical amplifier is increased while balancing the source impedance of the first electrical amplifier in response to the light pulse being in the off state;

receiving a fluorescence emission signal in response to irradiating the target with the light pulse, and thereby generating an electrical signal;

applying the first electrical amplifier gain to the electrical signal using the first electrical amplifier to generate a first amplified electrical output signal;

level shifting an input offset voltage of a second electrical amplifier in accordance with the first amplified electrical output signal, wherein level shifting the input offset voltage reduces a direct current (DC) voltage offset of the first amplified electrical output signal;

applying a third gain to the first amplified electrical output signal to generate a second amplified electrical output signal; and

applying an authentication algorithm to the second amplified electrical output signal, and thereby validating the target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the light pulse is generated by a light excitation source in response to a pulsed signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the electrical signal from a current signal to a voltage signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluorescence emission signal is a non-resonant signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluorescence emission signal is a resonant signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrical amplifier gain and the source impedance of the first electronic amplifier is modified using one or more electronic switches.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein level shifting the input offset voltage is performed using an adjustable DC voltage offset circuit that is coupled to an input terminal of the second electrical amplifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the third gain comprises adjusting the third gain in accordance with the level-shifted input offset voltage.

9. A system for detecting fluorescence comprising:

a light excitation source, wherein the light excitation source is configured to transition between an activated state and a deactivated state in response to a pulsed signal;

wherein, when in the activated state, the light excitation source is configured to emit a light; and

wherein, when in the deactivated state, the light excitation source is configured to not emit the light;

a photodiode, wherein the photodiode is configured to receive a fluorescence emission signal in response to the light and to generate a current signal in response to the fluorescence emission signal;

a first electrical amplifier coupled to the photodiode, wherein the first electrical amplifier is configured to output a voltage signal in response to receiving the current signal;

wherein the first electrical amplifier is configured to provide a first gain when the light excitation source is in the activated state; and

wherein the first electrical amplifier is configured to provide a second gain when the light excitation source is in the deactivated state,

wherein the first gain is less than the second gain; and

a second electrical amplifier is coupled to an output of the first electrical amplifier, wherein the second electrical amplifier is configured to level shift an input offset voltage of the second electrical amplifier in accordance with the voltage signal, wherein in level shifting the input offset voltage reduces a direct current (DC) voltage offset of the voltage signal, and wherein the second electrical amplifier is configured to apply a third gain to the voltage signal to generate an amplified voltage signal.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a microcontroller in signal communication with the second electrical amplifier, wherein the microcontroller is configured to perform an authentication algorithm using the amplified voltage signal to validate a target.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the fluorescence emission signal is a resonant fluorescence signal.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first electrical amplifier comprises:

a positive input that is selectively coupled to a ground potential via a first resistor/capacitor network;

a negative input that is coupled to a supply voltage via the photodiode; and

an output that is coupled to the negative input via a second resistor/capacitor network.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a first electronic switch selectively couples resistors of the first resistor/capacitor network to the positive input of the first electrical amplifier in response to the pulsed signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a second electronic switch selectively couples resistors of the second resistor/capacitor network to the negative input of the first electrical amplifier in response to the pulsed signal.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the second electrical amplifier comprises:

a positive input that is coupled to an output of the electrical amplifier; and

a negative input that is coupled to an offset voltage via a first resistor and to a voltage divider network;

wherein the voltage divider network comprises a parallel resistor network comprising selectively coupled parallel resistors; and

wherein the voltage divider network comprises;

a first terminal coupled to an output of the second electrical amplifier;

a second terminal coupled to a ground potential; and

a third terminal coupled to the negative input of the second electrical amplifier.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the parallel resistor network comprises electronic switches for selectively connecting resistors of the parallel resistor network to the negative terminal of the second electrical amplifier, wherein the analog switches are selectable in response to a control signal.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the first electrical amplifier gain is modified using one or more electronic switches.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the source impedance of the first electrical amplifier is modified using one or more electronic switches.

19. The system of claim 9, further comprising an adjustable DC voltage offset circuit coupled to an input terminal of the second electrical amplifier.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein applying the third gain comprises adjusting the third gain in accordance with the level-shifted input offset voltage.