title: A high-throughput time-resolved mini-silicon photomultiplier with embedded fluorescence lifetime estimation in 0.13 μm CMOS.
abstract: We describe a miniaturized, high-throughput, time-resolved fluorescence lifetime sensor implemented in a 0.13 m CMOS process, combining single photon detection, multiple channel timing and embedded pre-processing of fluorescence lifetime estimations on a single device. Detection is achieved using an array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) arranged in a digital silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) architecture with 400 ps output pulses and a 10% fill-factor. An array of time-to-digital converters (TDCs) with ≈50 ps resolution records up to 8 photon events during each excitation period. Data from the TDC array is then processed using a centre-of-mass method (CMM) pre-calculation to produce fluorescence lifetime estimations in real-time. The sensor is believed to be the first reported implementation of embedded fluorescence lifetime estimation. The system is demonstrated in a practical laboratory environment with measurements of a variety of fluorescent dyes with different single exponential lifetimes, successfully showing the sensor's ability to overcome the classic pile-up limitation of time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) by over an order of magnitude.
authors.affiliation: CMOS Sensors and Systems Group and the Institute for IntegratedMicro and Nano Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK d.tyndall@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tyndall
authors.forename: Bruce R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Rae
authors.forename: David Day-Uei
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arlt
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Justin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Robert K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004867:Equipment Design; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis*; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D017785:Photons; D012666:Semiconductors; D012825:Silicon
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012825:Silicon