Abstract:
The invention features a method of assaying for the interaction of a probe and an unknown target, said method including a) exciting a sample with radiation, the sample including at least one unknown target, at least one probe, and at least one fluorescent tag, b) measuring the fluorescence from a subvolume of the sample, and c) analyzing the fluctuations of the fluorescence.
Abstract:
A method for characterizing samples having fluorescent particles, by monitoring fluctuating intensities of radiation emitted by said particles in at least one measurement volume, the monitoring being performed by at least one detection means, said method comprising the steps of: a) measuring in a repetitive mode a length of time intervals between photon counts, b) determining a function or a series of functions of the length of said time intervals, c) determining a function of at least one specific physical property of said particles on basis of said function or said series of functions of the length of time intervals, by finding a close fit between the experimentally determined and a theoretical function or series of functions of the length of said time intervals, the latter of which takes into account parameters of the spatial brightness function characteristic for the optical set-up.
Abstract:
In forensic science it may be necessary to distinguish between two photoluminescent sources which emit radiation at similar, but different, wavelengths, or to distinguish between reflected light from surface regions which reflect light at different characteristic wavelengths. Examples of such sources or surfaces are inks on documents and treated latent fingerprints. The prior art technique for distinguishing such sources or regions involves the systematic use of a large number of narrow band pass interference filters. The present invention uses a single interference filter (17, 14) which is tilted to alter the wavelength of the peak radiation transmitted by the filter. If photoluminescent sources are to be distinguished, the filter may be placed between the sources and a monitor (10) of their emitted radiation, or between an illumination lamp (13) and the sources. An angle of tilt of the filter is selected so that radiation from at least one source is rejected while the intensity of radiation from a wanted source is optimised. If a reflecting surface is to be distinguished, the tiltable filter (14) is positioned between an illumination lamp (13) and the surfaces and an angle of tilt is found so that the illuminating light has a wavelength equal to the characteristic reflecting wavelength of an unwanted surface, so that, to an observer, the unwanted surface merges with the background.
Abstract:
A spectrometer (11) recognizes a measurement target on the basis of the spectral data set of observed light detected by a spectral sensor (14) capable of measuring wavelength information and light intensity information. The spectrometer is provided with a spectral data processor (16). Spectral data sets are detected at two different positions by the spectral sensor, and the processor subtracts a first spectral data set from a second spectral data set, or divides the first spectral data set by the second spectral data set to calculate one phase correlation spectral data set, which is correlated to the spectral data sets at the two different positions. The processor simultaneously identifies the measurement target corresponding to the two different positions on the basis of the correlation spectral data set.