The Measurement of Short-Lived Fluorescence Decay Using the Single Photon Counting Method

Abstract

Refinements of the single photon technique are reported, which are concerned for the most part with the photon timing photomultiplier, its associated circuitry, and the signal processing equipment between this multiplier and the time to amplitude convertor. A photomultiplier voltage distribution circuit is described which permits one to optimize the performance of the photon counting photomultiplier either for sensitivity, time resolution, or both in order to assure the validity of the convolution integral as the representation of the instrument output. An investigation of the variation of the instrumental response with stop discriminator level is reported, and the origin and elimination of wavelength effects and photocathode area effects associated with the timing photomultiplier are also described.