Sample Holder Options
Wide variety of sample holders for solids, liquids, and powders available
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Sample Holder Options
NIR Coverage
5 ps Lifetimes
Pulsed Laser Diodes
305 fs/channel
Bespoke Development
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The Lifespec II is a compact, fully integrated, high performance, time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) fluorescence lifetime spectrometer for fast lifetime applications.
Its zero temporal dispersion optics, using double monochromators in subtractive mode, sets the standard for ultra-fast decay measurements. Lifetimes < 5 ps are achieved if using a fast laser (ps or fs) for excitation.
The system is a fully automated solution, combining hardware and software in a single package for fundamental research and routine laboratory applications. Data acquisition modes range from fluorescence lifetime decay acquisitions and time-resolved spectra to automated time-resolved anisotropy measurements and automated temperature maps.
The LifeSpec II requires at least one picosecond pulsed diode laser and pulsed LED, supercontinuum laser or Ti:Sapphire laser (with suitable pulse picker) for operation. Multiple lasers can be simultaneously coupled to the instrument.
The LifeSpec II spectrometer can be used with all modern high repetition rate pulsed sources, such as picosecond pulsed diode lasers and LEDs, supercontinuum “white” picosecond pulsed lasers, and femtosecond Ti:Sapphire lasers. The standard LifeSpec II comes with an adjustable receptor flange for Edinburgh Instruments picosecond pulsed diode lasers and UV-LEDs.
The Lifespec II standard cuvette holder features water/coolant circulation for adjusting temperature, filter slots, and monitoring of the sample temperature by the operating software.
A range of single position front-face sample holders are available for powders, thin-films and solids. These include linear staged holders, rotational holders and clamps.
Bath/Refrigerator (-25°C to +150°C), EPR Dewar (77 K) enable temperature control of samples at low cost.
A range of open and closed cycle (cryogen-free) cryostats are available for the Lifespec II, from 77 K (liquid nitrogen) or 4 K (liquid helium). Software control and mounting mechanics for the sample chamber are provided.
TE cooled cuvette holders are offered with a selection of temperature ranges controlled by the software, from -50°C to +15 °C.
The choice of detector is informed by the emission range and lifetime of the sample. Photomultiplier tube (PMT) detectors are available with different spectral coverages and temporal responses.
The following PMTs are available:
All PMTs are cooled and photon-counting for maximum sensitivity.
The software-controlled polariser upgrade makes it possible to measure time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy in the Lifespec II. An excitation polariser may not be needed if the laser’s emission is naturally polarised, which is the case for Ti:Sapphire and picosecond-pulsed diode lasers.
For precise fluorescence decays (energy relaxation), polarisers may be required to eliminate rotational artifacts that are superimposed on the fluorescence decay (“magic angle” measurements).
Specification | |
---|---|
Optical Configuration | 90° between excitation and emission beam path |
Mode of Operation | Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) Optional Multi Channel Scaling (MSC) Upgrade |
Excitation Source Options | All high rep rate pulsed sources such as picosecond pulsed diode lasers (EPL Series, HPL Series) and LEDs (EPLED Series), supercontinuum pulsed lasers and femtosecond Ti:Sapphire lasers. |
Lifetime Range | 5 ps – 10 µs (depending on source and detector choice) Up to 1 s with MSC upgrade |
Detector Options | 230 nm – 650 nm, 230 nm – 850 nm, 500 nm – 1700 nm |
Mechanical Spectral Range | 200 nm – 900 nm (standard) plus 800 nm – 2000 nm (optional for infrared PMT detectors) |
Spectral Band Pass | 0 to 60 nm (computer controlled) |
Temporal Dispersion | Zero (negligible) |
Laser Beam Attenuation | 4 orders of magnitude, continuously adjustable (computer controlled) |
Spectrometer Software | F980 Software complete package for data acquisition and lifetime data analysis. |
Wavelength Coverage | Detector Response Width | Dark Count Rate | |
---|---|---|---|
High Speed Blue PMT | 230 nm – 650 nm | 250 ps | <100 cps |
High Speed Red PMT | 230 nm – 850 nm | 250 ps | <100 cps |
MCP-PMT | 230 nm – 850 nm | <25 ps | <10 cps |
NIR-PMT-1700 (LN2) | 300 nm – 1700 nm | 800 ps | <100,000 cps |
NIR-PMT-1700 (TE) | 950 nm – 1700 nm | 400 ps | <100,000 cps |
Ti:sapphire Laser | Picosecond Pulsed Diode Laser (EPL) | Picosecond Pulsed LED (EPLED) | Supercontinuum White Light Laser | |
---|---|---|---|---|
High Speed Blue PMT | <250 ps | <300 ps | <1.0 ns | <300 ps |
High Speed Red PMT | <250 ps | <300 ps | <1.0 ns | <300 ps |
MCP-PMT | <50 ps | <130 ps | <1.0 ns | <130 ps |
NIR-PMT-1700 (LN2) | <800 ps | <800 ps | <1.5 ns | <800 ps |
NIR-PMT-1700 (TE) | <400 ps | <450 ps | <1.0 ns | <450 ps |
Specifications | Spectral | Phosphorescence Lifetime | Fluorescence Lifetime |
---|---|---|---|
Mode of Operation | Single Photon Counting | Time-Resolved Single Photon Counting (Multi Channel Scaling - MCS) | Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) |
Lifetime range | Milliseconds to hours | 10 ns - 50 s * | 5 ps - 10 µs * |
Sensitivity | >35,000:1 ** | n/a | n/a |
Excitation Sources | |||
Type | 450 W ozone-free xenon arc lamp | Microsecond flashlamp | Picosecond pulsed diode lasers (EPLs, HPLs) and pulsed LEDs (EPLEDs) |
Spectral Range | 230 nm- > 1000 nm | 200 nm - >1000 nm | Discrete wavelengths between 250 nm - 980 nm |
Pulse width | n/a | 1 µs - 2 µs | from 60 ps |
Options | Ozone generating lamp with spectral range 200 nm - >1000 nm | Low to medium repetition rate pulsed lasers. Variable pulse width VPL and VPLEDs | Nanosecond flashlamp 200 nm - >400 nm pulse width <1 ns |
* source and detector dependent ** standard water Raman measurement conditions: Excitation wavelength = 350 nm, Excitation and emission bandwidths = 5 nm, step size = 1 nm, integration time = 1 s, emission wavelength = 397 nm, noise measured at 450 nm and calculation based on the SQRT method |
Monochromator | Specifications |
---|---|
Type | Czerny-Turner with 'plug and play' triple grating turret |
Focal Length | 325 mm (double monochromators: 2 x 325 mm) |
Stray Light Rejection | 1:10-5 (single), 1:10-10 (double) |
Gratings | Mounted to triple grating turret |
Accuracy | +/- 0.2 nm * |
Minimum Step Size | 0.01 nm * |
Option | Spectrographs available for operations of CCDs and diode array detectors |
* grating dependent |
Detectors | PMT-900 | PMT-1010 | PMT- 1400/1700 | HS-PMT | MCP-PMT | HS-HPD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spectral Range | <200 nm - 870 nm | <200 nm - 1010 nm | 500 nm - 1700 nm | <230 nm - 850 nm | <200 nm - 850 nm | 220 nm - 870 nm |
Dark Count Rate | <50 cps (-20 °C) | <200 cps (-20 °C) | <20 kcps or <200 kps | <150 cps (0 °C) | <10 cps (-20 °C) | <200 cps (10 °C) |
Reponse Width | 600 ps | 800 ps | 400 ps or 800 ps | 180 ps | <25 ps | 20 ps |
Options | A wide variety of other photomultipliers and analogue detectors are available up to 5,500 nm |
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