title: Dynamic windowing algorithm for the fast and accurate determination of luminescence lifetimes.
abstract: An algorithm for the accurate calculation of luminescence lifetimes in near-real-time is described. The dynamic rapid lifetime determination (DRLD) method uses a window-summing technique and dynamically selects the appropriate window width for each lifetime decay such that a large range of lifetimes can be accurately calculated. The selection of window width is based on an optimal range of window-sum ratios. The algorithm was compared to alternative approaches for rapid lifetime determination as well as nonlinear least-squares (NLLS) fitting in both simulated and real experimental conditions. A palladium porphyrin was used as a model luminophore to quantitatively evaluate the algorithm in a dynamic situation, where oxygen concentration was modulated to induce a change in lifetime. Unlike other window-summing techniques, the new algorithm calculates lifetimes that are not significantly different than the slower, traditional NLLS. In addition, the computation time required to calculate the lifetime is 4 orders of magnitude less than NLLS and 2 orders less than other iterative methods. This advance will improve the accuracy of real-time measurements that must be made on samples that are expected to exhibit widely varying lifetimes, such as sensors and biosensors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States.
authors.forename: Bradley B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Collier
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McShane
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D049449:Luminescence; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D010165:Palladium / Q000737:chemistry; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011166:Porphyrins; D010165:Palladium; D010100:Oxygen