Patent ID: 7310142
Filing Date: 2007-12-18
Classification: G01J,G01N

Abstract:
1. A system for determining the wavelength and/or delay time of a photon emitted from a sample, the system comprising: an electromagnetic source emitting an excitation pulse; a first optical path coupling the excitation pulse to the sample so that the sample can emit a photon in response to the excitation pulse; a photon detector having a plurality of detector elements each of which generates an electrical pulse when a photon is incident on the detector element; a second optical path between the sample and the photon detector, the second optical path including a redirecting device operable to alter the second optical path as a function of the wavelength of the photon emitted from the sample so that the detector element of the photon detector receiving the photon is determined by the wavelength of the photon; at least one delay line having first and second output terminals at opposite ends and a plurality of taps between the output terminals, each of the taps being coupled to receive an electrical pulse from a respective detector element of the photon detector; a respective first timer coupled to the first output terminal of the at least one delay line, the respective first timer determining a first time corresponding to the lapse in time from the excitation pulse to receipt of a resulting electrical pulse at the first output terminal; a respective second timer coupled to the second output terminal of the at least one delay line, the respective second timer determining a second time corresponding to the lapse in time from the excitation pulse to receipt of a resulting electrical pulse at the second output terminal; and a calculation device providing at least either an indication of the difference between the first and second times or an indication of the sum of the first and second times, the difference between the first and second times providing an indication of the wavelength of the emitted photon and the sum of the first and second times providing an indication of the emission delay of the emitted photon.