Patent ID: 7812324

Claim:
A time resolved fluorescence detection system which does not have a shutter comprising: a pulsed light source for generating a light emission pulse to excite fluorescence in a fluorescently labeled species in a sample, the light emission pulse also capable of exciting autofluorescence in any autofluorophores present in the sample; an on-chip amplified charge coupled device (CCD) for detecting the fluorescence and outputting a florescence signal; and control circuitry to control the light source and the CCD, the control circuitry also being able to provide a pulsed signal to the light source to cause the light emission pulse, provide a gate delay between the light emission pulse and the commencement of detection by the CCD by maintaining the CCD in a non-operational condition during the gate delay, and to trigger the CCD at the end of the gate delay out of the non-operational condition to enable detection of the fluorescence during a detection period in which the fluorescence is distinguishable from the autofluorescence.